Chaos Competition
by AAV-sama
Summary: Upon Princess Celestia's request, Discord has been released from his stone prison-and reformed. However, the shadow of the past will not be easy to clear. As the kingdom copes with his return, will Discord win back the blessings that he lost? Can Chaos prevail for the good of Equestria when Madness and Destruction makes its entrance? Features Dislestia and other characters.
1. Challenges

**Challenges**

It had been a hectic time over Ponyville ever since Discord was 'willingly' released from his spell by the Mane Six, under Celestia's orders, in order to be reformed by none other than Fluttershy.

During this time, Discord tried to manipulate Fluttershy like a fool. He bullied her pet, ate contents of books from Twilight's library home, spun Fluttershy's cottage off the ground, made everyone (yes, everyone. Including Fluttershy's own pet rabbit, whatever the annoying furball was called-yes, Angel) question Fluttershy's capability to follow the princess' orders, tried to turn Fluttershy against her own friends, and eventually made beavers flood Sweet Apple Acres, which he later later froze in a showdown against the Mane Six, particularly against Fluttershy.

Eventually, though, Fluttershy and her never-failing display of kindness and friendship to Discord got the better of the Master of Chaos. After returning everything that he had altered to normal, Discord finally agreed to use his magic for good, in front of everypony at Ponyville, including Princess Celestia.

Celestia smiled as she looked at the Mane Six. "Congratulations on your success, ponies. I definitely sense a big change in Discord." _Don't think I will not take precautions, though, Discord._

She leaned closer to Twilight to cautiously whisper her instructions. "I'll leave the Elements of Harmony with you, Twilight. Just in case."

Twilight nodded with a serious expression. She was actually thinking of pretty much the same thing, but was glad the Princess spoke before her.

Discord blinked and frowned a bit as he stared forward. _Well, I'll be. Even now-_

Twilight smiled confidently as she proceeded to explain what she had learned from the whole eventful assignment. "You were right when you said Fluttershy would be the one to find the way to reform Discord. By treating Discord as a friend, she got him to realize that friendship was actually important to him. And something that, once he had, he didn't want to lose."

Celestia nodded as her student spoke. She felt a sting in her heart as she remembered how Discord had finally been defeated, apparently once and for all. It had been the ultimatum that he was confronted with by Fluttershy, the _one_ friend he'd _ever_ had.

She sighed almost imperceptibly and set the thought aside, as well as her slight resentment at the idea that she and her sister were apparently not good enough back then to reform Discord themselves.

She gave Fluttershy a happy smile as the timid pegasus walked over to Discord.

Fluttershy looked at the draconequus encouragingly. "Go on. Say it."

Discord sighed and responded unwillingly. "Oh, alright... Friendship is magic" He muttered quickly, feeling embarrassed as he glanced around.

Fluttershy smiled with satisfaction and held his lion paw. "He can be such a sweetheart once you get to know him."

The others simply stood awkwardly for a while as they witnessed the unlikely and unsettling scene before them. It was still quite a bit to take in, despite Discord's public, and seemingly sincere, reformation.

After a few minutes of required conversation with the ponies of Ponyville, Celestia was finally able to get back to the Mane Six and Discord. _My, it sure took a while to reassure them all... But I can't blame them. Even with Fluttershy's success, I have a feeling Discord will be..._

She watched as Discord appeared a cloud of cotton candy over Pinkie Pie. Upon her request, and Fluttershy's approval, Discord snapped his fingers and made chocolate milk rain over the pink earth pony.

To everypony's surprise, Pinkie Pie was suddenly covered in all kinds of pies that also fell from the cotton candy cloud. It made them all gasp as they stared at the scene with alarm.

However, after a few seconds, Pinkie Pie popped out of the pile of pies, licking herself with joy. "That was great! Discord, Discord, you gotta make it rain pies more often!"

Discord then laughed along with Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and everypony else that dared laugh with them.

_...Discord._ Celestia shook her head and looked down at Twilight. "Well, Twilight, this will be it for me. I best be making my way back to Canterlot. I do wish you all the best of luck."

Twilight smiled and bowed her head. "Thank you, Princess, for giving us this chance."

Celestia shook her head and kindly put her hoof on the unicorn's shoulder. "Not at all. Thank you all for your efforts. I knew I could count on you to do a greater good for all of Equestria."

She walked away from them, towards her chariot. _And for us... For us all._ She boarded her chariot to get back to the palace as she stared down at the town one last time. _I wasn't wrong, Master Starswirl. Thank you for your wise words. My kingdom is safe once again... Perhaps things will be better than they ever will... With time indeed. I look forward to it very much._

* * *

A few days after his public reformation announcement, Discord made his way over to Ponyville again. He didn't have anywhere else to be, and he did have plenty of things bothering him. He wanted to speak to Celestia, but he wasn't sure how. The... incident, of a couple days back had not left him much hopes of handling things on his own well.

He sighed and scratched his head. "Well, it's hardly my fault things ended up so badly, is it...? She's just too stubborn, _she's_the one who refused. And boy, did she..." Discord muttered as he rubbed his still sore neck. He winced when his headache picked up again.

~~~

He had appeared at the castle, as if nothing had happened at all. Not in a thousand years, not a few years ago, not a few days ago. He wanted to make things right, and he believed that paying a friendly, unannounced visit to the princesses would do just that. He had no idea why he kept getting an odd, uncomfortable feeling of deja vu. However, he disregarded it, as he did everything else that might be reason.

He smirked as he floated over the castle and managed to scare every servant that caught sight of him. Ah, how he loved doing that still. It brought some of the good, old fun back. The kind of fun that wasn't considered 'inappropriate', though, of course. No harm in giving a pony or two a scare, was there?

He sighed and looked up at the doors of the room that he had headed for. It was a room that he had seen plenty of times in the past. He was about to knock on the door, but figured the occasion did not call for it. He was never one to consider such awfully burdensome manners, anyway. If he wanted to enter someplace, he just went ahead and did it. None of that would change, it had no reason to.

Discord opened the room and peered in. His chaotic, unpredictable nature grimaced at the sight of the tidy, welcoming room that had most likely remained like this for centuries on end. It had barely changed one bit since he had been in there, more than a thousand years ago, in order to put a weakened Celestia to bed after a gruesome battle with King Sombra and Queen Chrysalis.

His heart ached just a bit as he reminisced at the memories, but he quickly pushed them out of his mind. He didn't want an excuse to fail in his goal. He would talk to Celestia and set things right in his good, usual, humorous way. Things would end up dandy, he was sure of it.

Celestia jumped a bit at the popping sound of Discord's all too familiar apparition abilities. "Discord." She rolled her eyes and put away the scrolls that she was working on to give him her undivided attention.

She raised an eyebrow as he floated in the air. He looked downright comfortable, like he properly belonged in the room, and was 'just paying a quaint visit to an old pal'. "What are you doing here?"

Discord smiled at her as he turned over in the air. "Oh, just paying a quaint visit to an old pal, is all."

Celestia sighed at the response that he had given her, predictable for once. She had a great urge to turn away from him, but she convinced herself that Discord was no longer the same mocking, cutting creature he was before. He had changed. No thanks to her, but he had changed.

That made him deserving of her whole attention, apparently. But, did it count if he popped into the princess' room like it was already his in the first place? She would lose no opportunity to use this against him and rid herself of the task of dealing with him, thus end up trying in vain to fix the rest of her ruined afternoon.

She gave him a look as she tilted her head aside. "You know, it's not proper to just appear in the princess' room. The guards would get you for this. You must request for an audience, like everypony else. Or at the very least wait downstairs until I go down to meet you."

"Ah, well, I'm not like anypony else, am I? You can definitely make an exception for me, right?" Discord smiled as he watched her pace uncomfortably around the room.

"Wrong." Celestia answered as-a-matter-of-factly. Suddenly she really wanted to get back to those boring inventory stocks...

Discord let out an unamused sigh at the princess' boring disposition. But he was actually far from discouraged. He smirked and floated around her. "I wanted to have a little talk with you, Celestia. About something important."

"Oh, Discord, no. Not that."

Discord shrugged. "What?"

"The last time we talked about 'something important', it didn't do well to either of our prides. Let's just drop things when they're still at a level where they can be dropped and forget we saw each other here-"

"But don't you know? I just love challenges, and this is a perfect one!" He tried to hide his nervousness behind the very cockiness that he knew annoyed Celestia. He knew it annoyed her because, deep inside, she still loved it. That had to be the reason, and that in itself gave him a good deal of confidence.

She gave him a look. "If you're not going to speak seriously, I'm through. I have a lot of work to get to." _Forget giving him undivided attention, she grumbled in her mind._

Okay, where was that scroll thing she had to get through? She wanted it now, like some precious, cherished medicine that was sure to ward off a terrible, most unwanted migraine. She was absolutely sure that was what the conversation would turn into, sooner or later.

Discord held her close by the shoulders. Now it was leaning more towards the 'sooner'. "Listen, what I want to talk about _is_important and probably plenty of work in itself, you know. Surely you can set those things aside for a minute or two. It would be nice of you to spare a bit of time and dedicate your attention to..."

Celestia raised an eyebrow and let out a weary sigh before she turned back to him. "Discord, just what do you want already...?"

"Nngh..." He stretched in the air. "Well... I want to discuss the things that I will be partaking in, given my apparent stay in Equestria. What I will be assigned and tasked with, from now on."

_For my sun, this will be more tedious than I thought._ "Seriously?"

"Oh, yes, there's one important part of my query that I simply must get to."

"Well, if it's about where you will be staying, I can already tell you, it will be anywhere but here. The castle is still off limits to you."

Discord pouted and spoke with sarcastic disappointment. "Aww, that's not fair! It sure doesn't seem off limits to basically anypony else that decides to come here whenever they want."

"You know better than anypony what your current situation is." She didn't look at him as she answered him. Instead, she ordered a stack of papers that he had pushed all over her desk. "Now, if you're finished-"

"Oh, now you're going to limit my progress in my already difficult journey of change by throwing my 'situation' right on my face? Such frustration for my kind-hearted efforts. You know, that's not very nice of you, Celestia. How can I advance in my reformation if you will deny me the chance to prove I have changed for the better?"

He raised an eyebrow and smiled a little. "Instead, you continuously deny and remind me of how I did this horrible thing and that awful spat... I can't handle that, princess. I need something to work here that are not your bitter accusations and resentful reminders. A bitter soul helps no one, so don't harbor dark feelings. Let all be forgiven, allow me to prove Fluttershy's help did help."

"There will be plenty of opportunities for you to prove your change. Just not here. Not now. Not with me. I'm not interested in dealing with that yet."

"But that's not even what I wanted to talk about! If there's one thing I don't need to worry about, it's a place to stay. You need to be more attentive. For a princess, you don't know how to listen very well."

She gave him a 'just get it over with' look. She sat down on one of the pillows on the floor to listen..

He grinned once she was comfortable. He cleared his throat and took on a solemn expression. "Celestia, I want to be direct and _absolutely_ frank with you. I came to talk about us."

Sweet alicorn twilight. That was what she had been dreading all along. She _knew_ it would come to that. Just why in the name of everything that touched her beloved sunlight did _he_ of all have talk to her about _that?_

She just would not have it, she definitely knew it was not going to end well for either of them. It certainly hadn't last time. She did not want to ruin her afternoon and pleasant sunshine with another argument.

That last argument between them had been terribly exhausting and draining, and not because she had sent so many hundreds of letters consecutively before, while, and after their... conversation (if one could call emotionally cutting one another a 'conversation') occurred.

She tried to start a reasonable plea, to talk him out of his insane occurrence. "Discord... Listen..."

"I now know that the things that I did were not right. But I'm willing to make up for them, see. I want to do something nice once in awhile. To bring just minor chaos. I want to behave well, just like I said earlier. Most of the time, of course. That would more than make up for the situation I put myself in all that time ago!"

As Discord floated around her, Celestia gave her a suspicious look.

"Trust me, you being as adorably easy to tease as you are certainly does make up for the situation YOU put yourself in with me." He continued to annoy her by continuously appearing everywhere she turned to in order to _not_ face him. He spoke in the most casual of manners.

Celestia let out an irritated sigh. "What situation?"

"Oh, you know, just a bit of a trifle, nothing much. Turning me to stone, maybe? Twice, perhaps? For a total of... I'd say... one thousand, three-hundred and one years, to be exact? Not much, really."

"Discord, you know very well that you brought that up on yourself."

"Which brings us back to my original subject, my dear! Putting all that past behind us, letting bygones be bygones. I certainly am willing to do so. C'mon, surely you want to give this a try?" He sat on her table as he looked at her expectantly.

She stepped back from him. "Why would I?"

"Oh, because I know you felt the same thing I felt those many years ago, Tia, that's why. Things like that just can't be pushed away, can they? No, absolutely not. You obviously have not. Have you, Tia?"

She tried her hardest to speak patiently as he smirked at her. "Discord. I've asked you many times before to not call me that. I don't like to repeat myself eith-"

"But, Tia, it's just a fond nickname that I have for you! Rather lovely, so memorable!"

Memorable her gold-plated, well-cared for hoof. "Well, I don't like it."

"Come on... Why won't you even consider giving this a chance? I turned... Well, what you would call good, you know. Perhaps..." He muttered the last part as he looked away before he hesitated. It was his pause that made her look back at him.

He smiled and appeared underneath her, right on the carpet. He nearly made her jump and fly in the air as he spoke again. "Maybe I did it for you."

Celestia shook her head as she stepped off the carpet. "Please don't insult my intelligence, Discord. I know for a fact you didn't do it for me. You did it for Fluttershy. The one friend you've ever had."

"Well, she was completely friendly, what did you want me to say? That pony could be the brightest one I've ever met! Who knew she could whip up something like that?" Discord let out an annoyed sigh as he grumbled. "Element of Manipulation, that's what she ought to be..."

He looked aside and smiled as he saw the solid gold perch that rested in a corner of her room. "I see you still have the lovely phoenix."

"What else do you want?"

"I came to acquire your agreement and consent."

She raised an eyebrow. "Have you, now?"

Discord smirked as he followed Celestia around the room. He waved his claw and showed her a bouquet of flowers. "I've brought flowers."

She didn't look at him as she ordered things in her room. "Are you bartering?"

Discord smiled casually. "The lady likes flowers."

"I don't barter."

"Snacks for your phoenix?"

"Her name is Philomina. And no."

"Massage?"

She stepped away from him before he even got a chance to touch her. "No."

"Royal paperwork to get done?"

Celestia rubbed her head with her hoof. _He's getting tiresome._ "Are you done now, Discord? You're starting to give me a headache."

"Oh, I'm far from done! And you know what? I'm not leaving until you and I have made up." He appeared on her sofa and folded his arms.

She lowered her head a bit as she tried to calm down and remain level-headed. "We already made up. As a citizen, you have my full forgiveness, respect and support. There. It's done. Now, can you _please,_ kindly-"

He gave her a look. "Don't play with words, Celestia, that's one of _my_ favorite games. And certainly don't mock us, you know that's not what I meant."

"Discord! I really don't want to talk about this!"

"Ah, there you go. There it is, your denial, once again..."

He really was getting to her. Again. "What?!"

"You're in denial, my dear. You just can't accept the fact that these are the perfect circumstances for you and I to finally end up together and finish what we started all those years ago." He stood up from the couch and looked at her quite smugly.

"And just what did we _start,_ exactly?!"

He answered quite casually. "Our beautiful, interesting relationship, of course."

Beautiful... Interesting-_what?!_ Oh no, he didn't. She glared at him as she blushed a bit. "Discord!"

"I know it's shocking, since I have come to claim what is rightfully mine so soon. But dear, I kind of sealed that fate for myself the moment I kissed you right before you turned me to stone. I put it on 'layaway', is all. I was bound to claim my treasure sooner or later. Your little pony Elements just didn't give me a chance to do it sooner, and neither did you." He held her face with his paw. "Maybe you were afraid."

She glared at him warningly. "Whatever nonsense it is you're talking about, you better stop it and get out right now! I'm not joking!"

"Oh, Tia, I didn't know that you could be so dense!" He lowered his hands in front of him in a cautious manner. "I came in peace, to take you as a partner, and to have this... Seeing as the last one didn't leave quite a satisfactory feeling."

"What are you...!"

He held her face in his claw and paw, then kissed her, much to her shocked surprise.

She opened her eyes wide and blushed a bright red. She then stepped aside after he finally allowed her to get away from him. "D-Discord..."

Discord's following statement was really the last straw for her patience. "Oh, that was so much better!" He leaned in front of her. "So I take it you and I are fine now, nothing happened, it's alright and-" He couldn't finish as Celestia's horn started to glow.

**"OUT!"** Celestia screamed as her magic surrounded Discord and propelled him out of the room.

He landed right against and into the opposite end of the hall, in a manner that would have made Pinkie Pie burst out in laughter, had she been there.

As a matter of fact, Luna could barely keep herself from chuckling after she was startled by the comical expulsion Discord was subjected to. She raised an eyebrow and approached her former best friend, whom she found herself slowly warming up to, despite herself. "Well... That definitely was not the best approach..." She looked at the cracked wall.

"...You think?" Discord muttered with a muffled voice, as his head was still buried in the marble wall.

* * *

Discord shook his head to free himself of the memory of that awful attempt. 'Awful' didn't cover it. It had all gone catastrophically wrong. But it was Discord. Obviously he would not admit that _he_ was in the wrong.

"My attempt had been perfect! That uptight, bitter Celestia. My conversation topics were awful in the positive end of the word! They were so chaotic that I was completely impressed myself! She just doesn't know how to have a good deal of fun, and read well into messages and words."

He looked around and sighed as he looked at the place of Ponyville where he ended up after much wandering in the air. "Hmm..."

A tree library, home to a certain pale mulberry-colored unicorn that he loved to annoy, but wasn't sure how to talk to in any other kind of way. He took a deep breath and got it over with, appearing inside of the tree. Apparently he had not learned from his mistakes.

Twilight looked up as she was startled from her reading. She immediately sighed with annoyance when she saw him floating above her. "...Hello, Discord."

"Why, hello, Twilight! Just the unicorn I wanted to see." Discord spoke cheerfully, though he muttered to himself afterwards."Not really."

Twilight turned her attention to some books as she sorted through them. "What do you want, Discord? I have a lot of work to do."

"Geez, unbelievable! Everypony everywhere has a lot of work to do! So boring." Discord folded his arms as he complained.

"Well, yeah, we're productive, unlike somepony here" Twilight muttered and turned around. "I really do have a lot of things to do, Discord. Mainly reorder and sort books which important contents you ate." She glanced over at him with an accusing glare.

"Ah, yes, those pages were absolutely delicious! I'm sure it was the intricate reformation spells recorded down in them that put the exquisite flavor. Such a treat." He licked his lips and raised his paw to levitate some of the books off the shelves.

Twilight grabbed them with her magic before he could shred them. "DON'T even think about it."

"Since you won't be needing any of those reforming spellbooks anymore, do you think you could send me the treats every so often, Twilight, dear? They were just _delightful_. Though I must say, Angel's carrots also put the icing on the cake quite nicely. Or, in this case, the carrot on the shredded pages!" He started laughing, which annoyed Twilight further.

Twilight groaned and rolled her eyes. "Is that all?" She pushed a pile of books out of the way with her magic. "Or am I really going to have to concentrate on ignoring you while I attempt to get work done around here?"

"I'm here because I need to ask a favor of you, Twilight Sparkle. Friend to friend." Discord appeared beside Twilight. He immediately hung upside down.

"Of course you-hey, who ever said you and I were friends?!" She looked at him as he sat on the air, in front of her.

"Well, you're friends with Fluttershy, aren't you?" He pointed at himself. "I'm friends with Fluttershy. That makes _us_ friends. It means we are together in the most fascinating journey of friendship-"

She gave him an annoyed look. "No, that just means we have a mutual friend. That's it."

She ordered some books... which were quickly thrown back into a messy pile before she could even move them one inch further. She watched in horror as some even started dancing and wrestling other books, if that made any sense. "Discord! Stop it!"

"Who, me? It's just the tedious old books looking for a way to entertain themselves, is all, Twilight. For many eons they have 'entertained' others. Now it's their turn."

Twilight growled as her temper flared. "What is it going to take for me to get you out of here?!"

"I can put on quite a show, this whole tree has materials for my masterpiece. And I will continue indulging myself, Twilight, unless you listen to me for once. You leave me no choice, my dear, I didn't want to resort to these measures." His serious tone betrayed by the very amused grin on his face. Then his laughter. "N-Never mind, I did! I was looking forward to it, the slightest chance! Oh, just look at them! At you!"

She groaned and hopped a bit with anger as she screamed at him. "Fine! I'll hear whatever you have to say, just stop this!" She tried her best to restore things to order, but knew it would be of absolutely no use, until Discord felt otherwise.

Which he did, as soon as she complied to his request. He snapped his claw fingers, turning everything back to normal. Or, at least returning the stuff to their inanimate state. They still remained in quite a mess. "There. Was that so hard?"

"Just get it over with..." Twilight muttered as she rubbed her frustrated head.

"I need you to help me with something regarding Celestia. See, I tried to talk to her, a few days ago..." Discord muttered. Then he sighed. "It didn't end well."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "You tried to talk to Princess Celestia?" She stared at him suspiciously.

"Um... Yes. But, things didn't go quite as I had expected, actually..." He looked up nervously and fidgeted with the fingers of his claw and paw.

Twilight stepped closer towards him. "Well, what's that supposed to mean?"

"She just blew things out of proportion with her hysterical seriousness, that's all!" He shook his head and appeared at Twilight's other side. "Listen, I came here to you, embarrassing and bothersome as it may be-"

"Thank you, I'm flattered." She gave him a look after her sarcastic comment.

He brightened up for a second. "You're welcome! Because thanks to Celestia's gossipy little mouth, you're now the only one who knows about our whole... Um... history..."

"Yeah, I pretty much know all about it, Discord. I wouldn't like to bring it up, it's not nice." She walked away from him. "And, it happens to NOT be my business. Take it up with the Princess."

He threw himself at her hooves to keep her from moving, weighing her down as he started his dramatic act. "Oh, Twilight, you have to help me with this! You're the one that pretty much knows Celestia best besides Luna! I don't really want to talk about this with Luna, you're the one outsider that's in on the whole deal! Who better than you to help?!"

Twilight glared down at him. "And why should I? I know _everything,_ Discord. Everything you did to the princesses. And contrary to your irresponsible, shameless behavior, it DID mean a lot. I mean, _really?_ Betraying their trust and friendship? Destroying their beloved, starting kingdom? Manipulating Princess Celestia to attack her own sister with the use of her love for you?"

"Actually, Twilight, it-"

"One just doesn't warm up to that, especially after you pop in to cynically demand that things be as if you never did that in the first place."

Discord looked up. "W-Well... When you put it... that way..." He chuckled nervously.

"I see no reason to help you, Discord. You're not even sorry for what you've done."

He chortled as he tried to defend himself. "Oh, but it was all in good fun, Twilight! I certainly had plenty while doing them little mischiefs, at least. The princesses, everypony, just needed to get into the spirit of things!"

Twilight gave him a glare and he immediately shut up, but not for long. He shook his head and raised his paw. "Fine. If you won't help me, you leave me no choice! Again." He stood over in the air and moved his fingers around. He gave her an amused smile. "How will your precious library look upside-down, I wonder?"

Twilight shook her head as she ran in front of him. "No way, Discord! Y-You can't do that, it would upset Princess Celestia and Fluttershy!"

"I would tell them you failed to help and lend a hoof to me when I was in need. They wouldn't approve of it as much as they wouldn't approve of me causing chaos in your library, would they?"

Twilight growled with frustration, then let it all out to him. "You need to understand that not EVERYTHING is for _you_ to control! Not the princess' heart, not her decision to ignore the past, not my decision to help _you,_ and certainly NOT MY LIBRARY! Now get out before I tell Fluttershy how you really haven't changed at all!" She was practically fuming with rage.

It would have been hilarious to see, under different circumstances. Discord would have been rolling in the air, laughing at the studious unicorn's rage, much more than he did when he caused chaos in Ponyville. But, at that very moment, something heavy seemed to weigh down on the Chaos Master after Twilight raged on him. He looked at her with a surprised, baffled face as he allowed her words to sink in.

_Not everything is in my control...? B-But, how, I... I'm Discord. Even reformed, I can control anything! ...Can't I? There is no challenge that I don't overcome and enjoy overcoming._

As he looked at Twilight and actually lowered down to the ground from the weight of his realization, he began to think that the unicorn's harsh words and facts might just be the one challenge he did not want to get into and overcome.

He suddenly realized that maybe, just maybe... If those things weren't under his control... Then the princesses might never, ever forgive him. He feared that he would never be able to make them forgive him, as he had lated planned.

He thought of his past actions... and began to feel more and more stupid for thinking that he could ever actually make them forgive and forget those horrible things, even if he had the power to control everything.

"Y-You're right, Twilight... I... I hadn't thought of that before... I can control chaos, yes, but... I suppose... Celestia really isn't chaos, is she...? No, not at all... There's just no way that I..." He shook his head and held it as he thought. He felt very confused, disappointed, and shocked.

His sudden change in attitude made Twilight even more confused.

He turned around and looked at the ground as he spoke. "I'm sorry I took so much of your time. I'll be going now." He snapped his fingers. The library turned back to its ordered form... somewhat. Books were shelved everywhere, obviously in their wrong places, even upside-down or backwards, while other supplies were piled all over the library.

Twilight raised an eyebrow as she watched him leave and not turn back. She had half expected him to bolt right in towards her, laughing his tail off on her face after getting her with such a brilliantly acted prank. She actually waited for a good half minute after the door of the library shut itself with his magic.

But nothing happened. He never returned in those thirty seconds. Nothing changed, and it was awfully quiet for a bit longer as she tried to think and figure everything out.

"What just happened...?" She muttered as she paced around the library floor. She couldn't help it. She immediately started going over the entire confrontation. She thought everything, every word and detail, through. "Just what came over Discord back then? He looked totally different... Not to mention how he acted, it was... quite unlike him..."

She looked up as she thought. After a bit more, she frowned and put a hoof on her chin. "He couldn't have actually been_serious,_ could he? About the whole 'make up' thing? He seemed so shameless about it!"

She turned around to look at the mirror on the wall. Gazing upon her reflection while contemplating something always helped her think. "Well..."

She sighed and looked aside. "He does have a lot to learn... Maybe the fact of realizing the consequences and seriousness of his past, present, and future actions, and that not everything was for him to control, was one of those things... Maybe he learned that just now, the..." She remembered his baffled face after she screamed at him. She sighed and shook her head while holding her face with her hoof. "The hard way... Oh, what am I thinking...?"

She turned away from the mirror only to pace again. "What if I'm right, though? What am I supposed to do...? I can't do anything, I'd be supporting the way he acted! I'd be supporting the fact that he's completely ignorant and careless of everypony else's feelings! He's as dishonest as he can be, as anything can get, I just can't help anyone that leads a life of no trust, like the one he has!"

She turned around again as she tried to get rid of the idea of helping Discord. Her efforts didn't amount to much, though. She sighed and groaned as she lost against herself.

"But if I ignore him just so that I have nothing to do with his indifferent nature... It would be even worse... He's right. I'm the only outsider that knows, I'm the only one that can give him unbiased opinions. As, unbiased, as my sense of justice can allow, anyway..."

She shook her head and stepped out of the library. "He may have done terrible things, but that's all behind us now. His actions may not be forgiven for what he plans to do, but I can show him the way to at least approach the princess and not get utterly rejected. I can teach him to do so with humility. I can teach him things that will enable his forgiveness." She narrowed her eyes as she looked around. "That's just what I'm going to do. I'll give him the steps for him to try on his own, that's all."

She looked around the streets of Ponyville, hoping that he hadn't teleported anywhere far. "Discord!" She called out to him as she began her way into a mighty challenge. A challenge that she sure had not wanted to try in her right mind, and was not even certain that would overcome.

* * *

Continuation to Chaos Origin, the Dislestia story I've been writing so devotedly! Yay!

Geez! That was another eleven-pager (of course it had to be, first chapter of the second series). I hadn't planned it to be this long... It actually seemed much shorter in the beginning, when it first popped into my mind. Yes, it certainly seemed much shorter in my head.

But then I reminded myself, 'Celestia throwing Discord into the wall is just a flashback. The chapter doesn't end there. It moves on to Discord asking Twilight for help.' And I was like, 'oh, no wonder it seemed short. Of course that was just a flashback, what are you talking about, Creative Brain? I knew that already.'

So I start working on the stuff after the flashback, and it just gets so hilarious, working with these two (or three) that it gets out of hand and turns into eleven pages. I wasn't sure how to wrap it up, and then I had the brilliant idea of Discord getting a guilt-ridden epiphany that would finally get him off his childish 'I didn't do anything wrong' cloud, to confront the seriousness of his actions.

I really loved Discord's and Twilight's interaction. I think even the end was kept quite in character, if I do say so myself (all down to Twilight's kind of burdensome, dutiful, long monologues... Ugh. Blast you Twilight and your talking to yourself about your responsibilities and what you MUST do).

I think I wrapped it up nicely. Thank you for reading so devotedly! Please do follow my series from the beginning! I'd be honored to have your feedback and dedication.


	2. One Lucky Guy

**One Lucky Guy**

Morning arrived, and Celestia basked in the full glory of yet another day that she had started by rising the sun. She smiled, feeling quite calm and content. The thoughts of the annoying and certainly uncomfortable 'conversation' that she had with Discord the day before had nearly left her mind... until, of course, she went and thought of that afternoon again.

She sighed in annoyance as she entered the balcony. She knew she would find Luna asleep after standing guard for the night. It wasn't like she wanted to bother her with such trivial matters, anyway. Discord and his shameless, cynical approaches were her problem alone to deal with. And she would, after she sorted through the other, much productive tasks that being a princess brought to her.

"Oh, Celestia... Really? C'mon, there are other things to do. Keep yourself busy." With that, the Sun Princess walked out of the balcony and her room. She greeted her kind servants as she walked into the large, decorated dining room. "Okay, let's start things on a positive note. Nothing bad has happened since... that time, so there's no reason to get upset and ruin another day."

She looked at a maid mare. "Do you know if Luna is up yet?"

"Oh, yes, Princess, she will be here in a moment. Should I bring your meal now?"

"Yes, please do. Thank you."

After a few minutes, Luna went down to the dining room to meet her for breakfast. "Have you figured everything out for the day...?" She asked after she yawned. She sat down to start eating.

"Honestly, how many hours of sleep do you usually get?" Celestia asked her as she raised an eyebrow.

Luna shrugged a bit as she sat before her sister. "I really don't need all that many. Just a bit of rest is fine for me, I've grown rather used to it." She ate a few more mouthfuls before she looked back at Celestia. "I must remind you again, sister, that the Grand Galloping Gala is due soon."

Celestia sighed and nodded. "Yes, I had nearly forgotten, Luna, thank you." She looked aside as one of the servants brought the morning paper for her to read. After that, there was some rather awkward silence between them as they ate.

Luna glanced aside a bit impatiently. She was dying to ask her sister about the day before, but she said nothing about it. She figured it would not be a comfortable topic to start the morning with.

Celestia finally let out a long sigh. She had caught on to Luna's curiosity long ago. She looked at her expectantly. "Yes? What is it, Luna?"

"Oh. Nothing, sister, we were-I was just... thinking."

Celestia glanced down at the paper again. "About?" She levitated her cup with tea to drink from it.

"Well..." Luna cleared her throat and tried to speak casually. "Our architects are still working on the damage that you had Discord do to the wall in your chambers hall... Um, the problem must have been quite serious, if I do say so myself..."

"It was nothing, Luna, really."

"...Sister, it certainly did not look like nothing."

"Well, you know very well how troublesome Discord can be, right? That was him being quite troublesome right there. I had to take action, and strong action. I'm sorry if it disturbed anypony."

"Well, sister, you didn't need to go through that. You should have sent for me. I would have been happy to assist." Luna hid a smile as she watched her sister take a deep breath.

Celestia shook her head slightly and muttered an answer. "Thank you, Luna, for your kind offer... But, as you saw then, I was able to handle Discord just fine on my own." _For the very first time, I'll admit... It was actually quite easy._ She didn't speak her thoughts out loud, of course.

Luna chuckled a bit, but fell silent when Celestia looked at her.

A letter arrived after green flames appeared between them, right on the table. Celestia picked up the rolled scroll. "Oh, this is from Twilight." She frowned slightly as she held the scroll in front of her with her magic. "How odd of her to send a letter so early."

"It doesn't seem to be a Friendship Letter, either" Luna said as Celestia opened the letter and read it.

_'Dear Princess Celestia,_

I hope this letter finds you and Princess Luna well. First of all, I want to thank you very, very much for sending, once again, your personal invitations to the Gala night to my friends and to me. I speak for all six of us when I send you my thanks in this letter.

Secondly, I would like to discuss the gala invitations themselves. Fluttershy and I talked yesterday, and we thought that perhaps it would be a good idea if you were to invite Discord along with Fluttershy, if you would be so kind and considerate to do so. Fluttershy would have no problem whatsoever escorting and keeping an eye on him to make sure he behaves.

As you read this letter, princess, my friend is speaking to Discord to convince him to act his very best at the event, should you choose to allow him the honor of attending under your invitation. Please feel no obligation whatsoever to comply, Princess Celestia. I, of all ponies, perfectly understand the situation you are in regarding Discord. I would not wish at all to put you in an even more complicated dilemma. If you must decide that he is unfit to attend the gala, I will speak to Fluttershy and Discord so that they can understand the matter. I assure you that, regardless of your decision, I will make sure that things go just fine and in absolute order, as I always am determined to do.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle'

Celestia lowered the letter after she read it. She frowned a bit with doubt. "Um..."

Luna raised an eyebrow as she stared at Celestia. "How strange... Twilight Sparkle actually wants you to invite _Discord_ to the gala night?"

Celestia quickly read the letter again as she spoke. "It, would appear so... But then again, she's not exactly doing so, I think she is merely suggesting..."

"But they are asking you to do so. 'If you would be so kind and considerate', sister. Twilight and her friend must really want him to attend. I honestly don't see why it would be such a bad idea, really." She smiled a little as Celestia lowered the scroll to give her a doubtful look.

"You don't?"

Luna shook her head. "Oh, most certainly not. I'd like him to attend. It would give me a fine chance to give the draconequus what he deserves, sister."

"Really? But-"

Luna spoke determinedly. "Do you think I'm going to let him get away with trapping me in an hourglass, hypnotizing you against me, and nearly drowning me in the Canterlot lake? No. Not a chance."

Celestia listened to her patiently, then took a bit to speak as she smiled a little. "...Didn't you already get to stomp on his statue after he was turned to stone a second time?" _I'd say that evens it out a bit, right?_

Luna blushed. "That... didn't cover it at all. Who knows if he actually felt anything! I, on the other hoof, felt every single thing he did to me all those times!"

Celestia sighed and looked at the scroll again. "Well... I'm not sure letting him attend would be very wise... Discord was just reformed, after all, it's too soon..." She rolled her eyes as she set her hoof on the table. "And from what happened yesterday, I'm not all too convinced that he has changed much..."

Luna smiled encouragingly as she tried to convince her. "Sister, I'm sure he will be no harm to anypony. Fluttershy will stay close by him, right? He would not do anything to make her look bad in front of all Canterlot, he respects and appreciates her too much to do that to her. Celestia, look. I know you are reluctant, I am reluctant as well-"

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "You are?"

Luna nodded, giving her a bit of a serious look. "Of course! I'm the one he's tried to kill one time more than you! But listen... As princesses, we must give our citizens a chance. It is our duty to be wise and fair, and give chances to those we have deemed deserving of them."

Celestia sighed and looked at her cup. "I..."

Luna smiled a little and touched her hoof. "We must give him the opportunity to get along with everypony. To do so, he must get used to the times. What better time than the gala night to do it?"

Celestia thought for a bit longer as Luna spoke to her calm and gently. Finally, she let out a resigned sigh. "You're right, little sister. He does deserve that chance... Regardless of how he may have behaved."

Luna smiled and hugged her. She laughed a bit as Celestia hugged her too. "Thank you for putting your part, sister. I'm sure even Discord will appreciate it. He'll be quite excited about it all!"

Celestia shook her head. "Oh, I'm becoming much too lenient..." She muttered as Luna giggled.

* * *

"A-And remember, Discord, you must try to be keep within the... Oh, what did Twilight call it? Oh, yes, of course, the guidelines. The guidelines that we talked about earlier? No magic that might get out of control or scare anypony, no chaos for the night, either. Just be a good draconequus and use your magic, if you must, but do so with care."

Fluttershy once again reminded Discord to act properly in the night of the gala, in case he was invited. They had gone over quite a few things for a long while at her cottage, or at least had tried to go over them. Discord kept growing distracted, he had a short attention span when he wanted to.

Discord rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed sigh. "You and Twilight already told me that. Ten times. From this morning to now."

"O-Oh, but of course I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable, Discord! That's why I said that you can use your magic when you feel like it will give you some more confidence. It might be weird and stressful for you to suddenly pop in at a place full of ponies..."

"You think?" Discord muttered and gave her a dull look.

Fluttershy smiled at him as she continued. "But, I want you to know that you don't have to jump right ahead and try to please them or talk to them if you don't feel safe enough to do so. If you feel like you need to take a breather, at any time, by all means, be my guest and do kindly tell me so that I will keep you company. I won't mind at all."

Discord sighed and raised an eyebrow at her. "Fluttershy, you've gone on with this for far too long, my dear. I'm surprised no one's ever mentioned how talkative you are! You could rival Pinkie Pie for sure."

Fluttershy blushed a bit. "I-I'm sorry, Discord, I didn't mean to overwhelm you. I just, well-"

"I haven't even been admitted to this 'gala' event yet. In my opinion, it was just a dumb-a _silly_ move of Twilight's, to go ahead and directly ask Celestia to let me go. I mean, really, I thought she was the smart pony!" He shook his head and folded his arms as he floated in the air. _Like she'll say yes after what happened yesterday... Twilight should've seen that coming. To think I went and asked her for help..._

Fluttershy looked up at Discord as he floated and grumbled in his thoughts. "Oh, I'm sure the princesses will give you a chance, Discord. The gala night is quite a bit of fun..."

"I heard your experience at the gala wasn't really all that exciting. More like disappointing."

Fluttershy smiled sheepishly. "Well, yes, but... It turned out well in the end, because my friends and I were together to pass the time. Really, if you hang out with friends and do things that you all enjoy. Everypony should have the opportunity to attend and experience it."

Discord sighed heavily to answer her. "I might not even be accepted. But you know what?" He shrugged it off. "It doesn't even bother me. It never did! Who wants to go to those boring pony parties anyway? I'm sure they're no different from the ones they held a thousand years ago, and that..." He glanced up. "Was... pretty boring, yeah... Quite, boring."

Fluttershy nodded approvingly at his words. "Well, I'm glad you keep such a positive attitude. If they refuse by any chance, for any reason, there's always the next gala, or some other party, dinner or occasion that the princesses might hold in the pal-"

"Fluttershy, whoever said I wanted to get to the palace anyway? If I wanted to, I could just snap my fingers and get there. Twilight was the one who came up with such an elaborated plan, as usual."

She lifted her hoof as she glanced aside in thought. "Well... She said you should learn about humility or something like that... This was supposed to help you learn that."

He waved his claw dismissively. "Oh, cotton candy can eat her humility. And speaking of cotton candy, how do you feel of having that for breakfast, dear?" He appeared a whole cone of the sugary, soft treat, and ate it as he held his lion paw behind his head while sitting in the air.

Fluttershy tilted her head to the side as she gave him a confused look. "So... You really don't want to go to the party, Discord? But I thought-"

Discord sighed and spoke calmly to the yellow pegasus. "It's not that I don't want to go, it's that I could care less. Accepted or not, there's no difference. I don't care about what the Princess' reply may be, no matter what you say about it." He patted her head. "It's whatever, Fluttershy, really. You ought to calm down about this and just flutter along with whatever happens."

Fluttershy smiled at Discord's calm, collected, and patient demeanor. "Okay."

Twilight hurriedly arrived at Fluttershy's cottage. She looked at them with an eager smile as she approached them. "I received Princess Celestia's reply letter!"

Discord burst into the air again with desperation. "FINALLY!" He quickly appeared before Twilight and held her in his claw and paw. As he did, he shot a volley of hurried questions, and with each part of the interrogation, he shook the unicorn in the air in all directions. "What does it say? What did she say? Is it really Celestia's reply? Is it Celestia's precisely? Is she going to let me go on her own terms or not?!"

Fluttershy slightly pointed at Twilight with her hoof. "Um, Discord, I think you have to let her speak first to find out some answers... She won't be able to speak too well if you keep shaking her around-oh, no, Angel, don't eat that... It's okay for ponies and draconequi, not for bunnies." She tried to get Angel away from the cotton candy that had fallen on the ground, it wouldn't be good if the bunny ate it.

"Um..." Discord blinked as he looked down at the disoriented, dizzy unicorn, whose mane was now matted from the sudden movement. "Right." He dropped her and cleared his throat. He felt a bit embarrassed with his sudden impatience. "Do carry on."

Twilight held her spinning head, quickly shaking it to clear it. She then gave Discord a smug smirk and look. "Eager, aren't you?"

"Oh, I'm not eager, now tell me what the letter says." Discord made his denial statement and his demand quickly, all in the same breath. He folded his arms as he gave Twilight a look.

She pulled the letter out of her saddlebag and opened her mouth to read it out loud.

Immediately, Discord threw himself in the air before she could utter a word. He flung his arms, legs, and tail as he threw his desperate, if also dramatic, tantrum. "Oh, it's over! OVER! This is a catastrophe, she's ruined my life! All of it, I tell you!"

The two ponies stared at him as he continued to let all the drama out of his system.

"First she makes me reform and change myself and then she denies me the one and only chance to show her-er, everypony, that I have changed!"

"Um, Discord?" Fluttershy tried to calm him down, but she went unnoticed and unheard.

"This is unbelievable-why didn't she just say so herself! I don't know what I'm ever going to do with that princess, I knew this plan was never going to work, what was I THINKING?!"

Twilight tried to talk sense into him. "Discord. Just-"

"I can't even bring myself to go back to my careless chaotic days anymore, I'm nothing but a disgraceful shame! I should go crawl in a cave and hide for the rest of my immortal days, I'm SO pathetic! Should I drown in my desperation, pity, or loath? I don't even know what I'm supposed to do!"

"Discord-"

"I couldn't even get a princess to invite me to one stupid little night party! MY LIFE IS OVER!"

"Um, well, actually-" Twilight muttered.

Fluttershy flew up to him to try to comfort him out of his hysterical, panicking tantrum. "Now, now, Discord, don't feel so down."

Discord looked at her with a frown. "Fluttershy-"

"I told you that if it wasn't this time, there would always be another chance to set things right! Just like I did when we had to bring water over to Cloudsdale. I had my second chance, and in the end, I helped by giving it my all after trying again when everypony else needed me."

She patted his shoulder when she saw that he continued to lament to himself, despite her attempts to cheer him up. "Don't worry, Discord, it's okay if the princess didn't think it was appropriate this time, really. Perhaps she needs time to think some more, or maybe this night just wasn't the one she was intending."

Twilight tried to speak again, as she had been trying for a while now. "She actually-"

Discord let out a quick sigh and shook his head. "You don't understand, Fluttershy. I'm ruined, simply ruined! It happened to be this night, it will easily be just the same with all the others! It'll keep happening again and again, I just can't take so much of it..." He looked down. "She's just closed herself off, she won't even look at me anymore. She doesn't want me near her kingdom at all, it's so clear! How could I have not seen it before, it was so obvious! She detests me! She would banish me if she could!"

Twilight frowned and lifted her hoof to try to get their attention. "But, that's not true, she-"

Fluttershy smiled at him. "Cheer up, Discord! The princess would never think that way of you. We can go ask her if she can talk to us so we can speak about what the problem was. She'll surely tell us."

Twilight shook her head. "There was no problem, if you two would let me-"

"Problem?! Oh, Fluttershy, it's more than that, it's a deadly situation! She just-"

"FOR THE LOVE OF THE PRINCESS, WOULD YOU TWO JUST LET ME TALK?!" Twilight screamed at them and even elevated in the air as she did. She landed back on the ground and panted after she was done calling for their attention.

Fluttershy and Discord both stared at her after they recovered from her yell.

"Goodness, Twilight! No need to get so agitated" Fluttershy muttered as she looked at Twilight worriedly.

"Indeed, Twilight Sparkle, what kind of manners are those? Can't you see Fluttershy and I are trying to have a mature conversation?" He sat up in the air and vanished the letter from in front of her and appeared it in his claw instead. "This has gone on long enough. You certainly are incompetent for delivering messages. I'll read it myself."

He looked at the rolled up scroll as Twilight glared at him. He hesitated in opening it, even though he could have done so in less than a second.

He passed the harmless letter over to Fluttershy, who still flew beside him. "Em... On second thought... Fluttershy, dear, why don't you read it? I wouldn't want Twilight here to think I'm cheating by altering the message or anything of the sort."

Twilight gave him another look. "How would I be able to think that? I already know what it says."

Discord gasped and shook his head with disapproval. "Oh, I never, Twilight Sparkle. Don't you know that reading others' mail is an offense?" He folded his arms with an indignant face

Twilight's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "That letter was addressed to me, Discord!"

Discord turned back to Fluttershy. "Anyways, go on, Fluttershy." He was starting to feel impatient again.

Suddenly, he felt that everything was going to go downhill... That he really wouldn't be accepted at the party. That he would never have a chance to show himself and prove his change to the princesses.

_But... perhaps that might be a good thing. They've made a good, happy, separate life. Why can't I do the same? If I did, I'd never have to apologize to anypony._ He smiled a little as he kept encouraging himself with his thoughts. Yeah, it was good that he didn't get invited. He would convince himself of that.

Fluttershy started to read the passed-on scroll. "Let's see... 'Dear Twilight Sparkle. I must sincerely thank you for your letter. I am glad that you and your friends look forward to another gala with such enthusiasm. I am also happy to inform that we will have plenty of guests for the night, including my sister herself. She has decided to show up and have fun during these occasions'..."

Discord rolled his eyes as he thought impatiently. _Well,_ that's _a first. I doubt she was even having fun during the ball I attended to. Cut through this, get to the good part!_ He mentally rushed Fluttershy as the pegasus continued to read, though he didn't really pay attention to those parts as he thought.

"...'also appreciate the concern that both you and your friend have shown towards Discord so far. It truly shows great understanding and attentiveness on your part, that you would be worried about him and his sake enough to kindly ask me to'..."

Discord shook his head as he gave his new friend an irritated look while she read. _Fluttershy, could you be a dear and read faster, please?!_

"...'and I appreciate such leadership and attention, which is why I want to inform you that I would be glad to welcome Discord to the Grand Galloping Gala... So long as he is able to behave himself. I look forward to seeing you, your friends, and Discord there. Princess Celestia'." She looked up at Discord with a smile. "Wow, good news, Discord. Very good ones! It looks like you were invited to the gala after all, by the Sun Princess herself! Oh, what an honor."

Twilight rolled her eyes as she muttered to herself. "Yeah, one just doesn't happen to be that privileged. Especially with such a record history..."

...Perhaps he hadn't heard right. Fluttershy did have such a tediously quiet voice, after all. It wasn't a good idea to ask her to read such an important thing. There was no way the Princess had decided to... Just because Twilight had asked... Decided to invite...

He swallowed a bit as he looked at the ponies. "Ehm, y-you're joking, right?" He chuckled nervously. "Oh, hilarious! Could've fooled me. Okay, joke's over. Go ahead and wrap up the letter, Fluttershy, I'm sure an explanation for a 'however' or 'unfortunately' is written there somewhere."

Fluttershy looked through the letter. "I don't see any of that, Discord. Just the princess saying that she's glad to have you at the party."

"Oh, but, but that can't be, I-let me see!" He snatched the letter from her hooves and looked at it eagerly.

_'...I hope Discord takes the news well and is on his best behavior during the night, as I am personally giving him this chance that I'm sure he will find... delightful. I look forward to seeing you seven at the Gala. Princess Celestia.'_

She's got to be joking. It's got to be a joke. What in Equestria am I ever going to do at that party?! With... her... Right in front of me?!

"This... How... It just-"

Twilight smirked as she interrupted his stammering. "Wow. I guess you're just a lucky guy, Discord. Nopony gets such a privileged invitation in such a consecutive manner. I mean, an invitation from the princess to such a night? Twice? Why, it must be quite a thrill." She paced around him. She knew that he understood the 'consecutive' and 'twice' remarks perfectly well."

"Well... Wh-Why, yes, quite so. She... She'll surely have a kick when the days pass and I have become so bored after the wait that I end up not attending the event after all."

Twilight raised an eyebrow as he spoke nervously.

"N-Now I understand, it all makes sense! That's why she sent that letter in advance. I know she really doesn't want me to go, she sent it early so that I would grow impatient and miss the event at its actual date!" He folded his arms and huffed a bit.

Such a joke of her. Quite tasteless. He'd have to return it sometime and teach her a proper lesson on professional pranks, not those of an amateur.

Twilight chuckled a bit as she directed to Discord again, after she smiled at Fluttershy. "Oh, Discord, I'm serious. You really are one lucky guy."

He looked at her questioningly.

"Why? Because none of that will happen to you at all, you see. The princess will welcome you in all her kind, beautiful splendor." As she described the princess, she waved her hoof forward grandiosely, all the while standing beside him.

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a look. "Oh? And why ever is that?"

Twilight spoke casually and matter-of-factly. "Simple. Because the gala is tonight."

**"WHAT?!"**

* * *

_At the gala, at the gala. Meet the princess at the gala~!_

Kinda long again (eight pages). I honestly didn't expect it to be this long (I thought it would be done with the princesses' scene. Ah, silly, naive me). Before I could stop myself and wrap it up, I had to continue it until it was truly ready to be wrapped up, and then this happened.

Is it just me... Or is Discord's sudden changes between eager and expectant, with anticipation, to pessimistic, to uncaring and hopeful for negative answers confusing? Then again, it's Discord, so stuff like that can be expected of him, I guess. Again, I thought parts in here were pretty funny, particularly the ending, of course. That ending.

And his drama. Thumbs up for his drama for sure. His drama, Fluttershy trying to comfort him, and Twilight's outburst were my favorites. ...Did anyone else get the Rarity reference?

Please do follow my series from the beginning! I'd be honored to have your feedback and dedication.


	3. Gala Night Gone Wrong

**Gala Night Gone Wrong**

Night arrived into Equestria and covered Canterlot in the beautiful, starry environment to add natural enhancement to the event. With the perfect night started the regal festivities of the prestigious and greatly attended Grand Galloping Gala.

Discord stood beneath the moonlight as he admired the sky. He was desperately tempted to cast a few spells, if only to calm himself down, but instead he looked at his feet and sighed. He felt very confused about everything that went on around him, everything that had happened in the last couple of days

It felt very odd and uncomfortable to have those heavy thoughts, it felt wrong. He usually wasn't like that. But... After one thousand years, Discord had forgotten what was the balance between Chaos and Fun.

It had been nearly impossible to get him out of under Fluttershy's cottage, he recalled with embarrassment. The colossal attempt had required Fluttershy's ever-so-constant coaxing, Pinkie Pie's ability to play ten instruments at a time, thirty stormy clouds gathered in ten seconds flat, the blinding gleam of never-failing fabulosity, and in the end, Twilight and Spike disrespecting the name and glory of cotton candy and chocolate milk so much that Discord had nearly forgotten his reformation and turned them both into arts and crafts utensils (they had miraculously escaped the sticky and sharp fate).

But by then, just when he was about to snap his fingers at the Element of Magic and the faithful baby dragon assistant of the dutiful librarian, Applejack had already roped Discord like a barn animal and before he knew it, Fluttershy was sweet-talking him, with that _voice_ she had, into attending the party to which he was already invited (with no chaotic shenanigans, of course. Those were to stay behind at her cottage). Honestly, the humiliation he now subjected himself with those ponies... All for Fluttershy's sake.

He had promised Fluttershy, Celestia, and the others that he would be reformed from being volatile. He couldn't succumb to temptation now, he had committed himself. Whether he liked it, or was comfortable, or not. He had to go through with it because... Because he had to.

He looked back into his memories and sat in shame as he realized, again, what he had lost more than a thousand years ago. He felt shattered, like a weight had been dropped on him. "Ohh..."

What made it all worse that, as he had noted before, his memory never failed him. He recalled every single detail of his betrayal and actions against the princesses with clarity. He saw everything that they had all suffered and gone through play back in his mind.

Fluttershy looked around and smiled when she spotted Discord not far from the Canterlot gates that would open the way to the palace grounds. "Discord! Oh, how wonderful that you could make it" She greeted him with her quiet voice as she stepped away from the other five to get to him.

Discord sighed and gave her a small smile. "Is it really that surprising?"

"W-Well-"

Discord's smile faded as he gave her an unamused look. "After all, your persuasive methods are quite effective, I must say. Your friend hogtied me and you talked to me for half an hour straight before I accepted to come. Honestly, dear, you talk quite a lot."

Fluttershy blushed a bit before she again. "I was telling everypony that it would be-" She looked up at him and tilted her head to the side as she saw the burdened expression on his face. She frowned with worry. "O-Oh... What's wrong? Is it still too early for you out here?"

Twilight looked over at Discord and gave him a resentful look. "Hmm." She looked away with a bit of annoyance. She was the only one who completely knew what had happened more than a thousand years ago, after all. Not to mention that some hours earlier an infuriated Discord nearly turned her and Spike into glue and scissors, all for trying to help him.

Fluttershy stepped closer to him. "Discord, I understand if you don't feel at ease around here. I just wanted you to present yourself out of courtesy to the princess, after she invited you here herself. One must be polite, after all." She smiled a little. "But if you want, we can go back to Ponyville and do something on our own. I completely understand."

"Fluttershy, you're not serious! After the work I went through on your dress?!" Rarity gave Applejack a frustrated look as her friend nudged her to be quiet.

Applejack pointed over to the palace with her hoof. She tried to distract her unicorn friend with the many upper class ponies that continued to arrive in their elegant carriages. "Eh, Rarity, I think we should just go over an' see what kinda fancy ponyfolk there is to talk to tonight."

Rarity gasped and smiled as her eyes glittered with the sight of so many opportunities to mingle in high-class society. "Oh! Of course, I really, really hope Hoity Toity made it tonight!" She rushed off, leaving Applejack to shake her head and roll her eyes.

Discord sighed and looked at Fluttershy with an uncertain expression. "Oh, I'm not sure about this, Fluttershy. The things I've done to Celestia haven't been exactly... friendly, you know."

Fluttershy blinked. "Well, I understand that trying to plunge the kingdom in chaos several times is not the best idea-"

"Exactly, right? But... Well, It's not my fault she has no sense of humor." He whispered that to Fluttershy, fearing that somepony else might hear them and throw a tantrum about his opinion.

Just as Fluttershy was about to say something else, he sighed and shook his head before he continued speaking with a heavy tone. "How will I fit in with them...? Celestia doesn't even want to see me!"

Fluttershy frowned worriedly as she watched him not only tremble in fear, but also turn his whole body into ice cubes. "Discord-"

"I... I-I think I'm getting stage fright."

Applejack sighed as she walked over to Discord's icy lower claw and hoof. "Or cold feet, rather." She pointed at his lower body parts.

Fluttershy smiled at him encouragingly. "Well, you'll never know unless you try. Discord. Everypony at the gala will never know how good and friendly you can be unless they give you a chance."

"But-"

Fluttershy held his paw. "You were invited here already, so the least everypony can do is give you a chance to have fun with them. Besides, Discord... If it makes you feel any better, you will come here as _my_ company. All you have to worry about is what I think, if you want, and I think that you're already doing great by even giving this a chance."

He sighed and smiled at her again. "V-Very... Very well. Then we'll just worry about each other." Once she nodded at him with approval, he followed her as she led the way to the doors.

As they headed closer to the door, she gave him a confused look. "But, I still don't understand, Discord. Why do you care so much about what Princess Celestia thinks? It's not like you will have to directly speak to her, actually. So you can relax, at least with that, can't you?"

Twilight sighed as she walked past them. "Yeah, I _really_ wonder why the cold feet, too. I mean, surely he didn't do _anything_wrong to upset the princesses. On a, you know, personal level." She gave Discord a knowing look. "Right, Discord?"

Discord shifted uncomfortably as Twilight looked away, towards Fluttershy.

"Well, Twilight, I'm sure that if anything happened, it can all be forgiven. After all, we're giving Discord a chance, aren't we? We can't do that without letting him fit in where we live, just like everypony else."

Twilight sighed as she gave her friend a small worried frown. "The princess has no trouble with him fitting in, Fluttershy, I'm sure of that. If she did have such trouble, she wouldn't have thought of his reformation in the first place."

Fluttershy nodded in understanding.

"It's something else that she would rather keep to herself. This 'something else' is the reason why she would refuse to see him. If he ever even wanted to see her. And this reason doesn't interfere at all with his fitting in with anypony else, you see? It's..." Twilight glanced at Discord again. "It's a bit closer than that."

Fluttershy raised a hoof to her mouth as she tried to understand the hidden subject of the conversation. "This is getting a bit confusing..."

She decided to leave it alone, as it was meant to be, and turned to her new friend instead. "Let's just do our best, Discord. Like I always say, 'stay where you feel the most comfortable until you are absolutely sure about taking the leap'. And just know that whether you decide to stay or leave, I will support you."

Twilight shook her head slightly and gave Fluttershy a small smile. "Well, I'm going inside now if you don't mind, Fluttershy. Will that be alright?"

"Of course, Twilight! You go right ahead, we'll most likely be with you in a moment. I'm sure we just need to get our courage back. Isn't that right?" She smiled up at Discord.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow as she flew ahead to catch up with the others. "You know, Fluttershy, the whole 'courage' thing is weird coming from you."

Fluttershy smiled a bit at her friend's comment and watched her and the others finally enter the palace.

Discord sighed as he glanced around the dark area. "Oh, Fluttershy... Ehm..." He shook his head and looked back down at the awaiting pegasus. "Fine... I'll try my best" He stated weakly as he walked next to her. "I'll try, really."

"Oh, wonderful, then. I'm really glad for you." She took his paw gently and walked forward at an easy pace. As they followed the other guests, she was sure to keep a nice round of conversation with Discord to try to keep his mind off the many worries that seemed to torment him.

~~~

The crowds of hundreds of ponies entered the palace as the night sky glowed beautifully with the shimmer of the stars. They were spread out all over, talking to one another, sharing different stories and gifts, participating in all kinds of activities that the gala night offered.

Discord walked in, already wearing his 'fancy' outfit to complement Fluttershy's formal gown. When he entered, the large crowd of high-class Canterlot guests stared at him with odd expressions, then turned away in disgust or dislike. He smiled weakly as he tried to fit in, but mostly kept his sight down as he and Fluttershy made their way through the large room.

He felt out of place to say the least, and not only kept himself from using his powers out of caution, but... He was unsure how and when he should use them altogether, and he was too nervous to ask.

Fluttershy nodded at him as they walked by the crowd of ponies that had turned away from them to continue their conversation in their socialite group. "You are doing very well, Discord."

Discord looked at her as she tried to reassure him.

"Go ahead and just be yourself whenever you feel more comfortable." She patted his paw. "Just make sure not to hurt anypony, you know."

"Myself... Well... Fluttershy, I'm not sure I can even use my magic right now!" Discord muttered, finally letting out his nerves.

Fluttershy smiled. "Oh, don't be silly. You don't have to use your magic to have fun. Sometimes, when I'm feeling very shy and insecure, I just stare and watch what everypony is doing. Then I try to imitate them when I feel up to it. But that can be later, you know."

She ordered two cups with drinks and looked at Discord again. "How about we just have a sit and enjoy a drink for a while? I understand this is difficult, so I don't want to force you into anything. My friends will understand that I stay with you for the night. Everypony has difficulty fitting in at some time."

Discord took the cup but did not drink from it. Instead, he simply transformed it into a small liquid fish and made it swim around in the air. He smiled weakly again and tried to think of ways to pass the time.

As time passed and Discord did not seem to relax, Fluttershy wondered just how she could help him gain some confidence. She then looked out at the game corner and smiled. It was outside, in the gardens close to the palace, there wasn't much of a crowd, and games were the main attraction. What could be better?

She stood up and smiled encouragingly at Discord. "On second thought, I think I have a better idea. Come along." She pointed at her hoof as she started to walk towards the door.

"Fluttershy, where are we going? Aren't we supposed to be at the party?" Discord looked around as he spoke to her.

"Oh, we'll still be at the party, Discord, we're not going to leave the palace. But it'll be something fun, just trust me and come along."

"But where?"

"You'll see. And you'll like it, too."

Discord sighed impatiently, but nonetheless followed her as she asked.

~~~

She led him outside, to the corner where ponies had fun as they threw rings around poles, darts at the target circles, and played many and just about any type of games, including games of chance.

Sure, there were mostly young ponies in the area, but she didn't think that would make much of a difference. At the contrary. Young ones would surely Discord's fun company, once they got past his looks. And, Discord was very _funny_-looking to begin with.

Just as Pipsqueak had taken a liking to Princess Luna during Nightmare Night, the little ones were bound to like Discord and love his antics.

The younger ponies looked at him with questioning looks as Fluttershy tried to coax them into playing with Discord. "It'll be alright, now. We just want to play a good game, like all of you here. It'll be nice if we all have fun together and help each other out, won't it? Yes, I know it will. So let's go at it, okay?"

The colts and fillies looked at one another and started playing normally, as the adult ponies stared at them with slightly anxious, questioning looks that Fluttershy disregarded.

"Discord, how about a game?" She was determined to try her best to keep things under control if he got carried away (though she was sure that would not happen while she used her gentle touch).

She looked at the ponies that stopped playing some of their games to look at them. "I'm sure nopony will mind! We're here to play and have fun as much as they are."

She would have been surprised and shocked with herself if she had realized how much confidence and leadership she was displaying that moment. Then again, Fluttershy always did seem to have unwavering, strong resolution and trust in anything that regarded her friends.

Discord smiled a bit as he looked around. "Doesn't sound like a bad idea at all." As he joined a few ponies in throwing rings, he used his magic to turn the pole into a playful worm. He made the game more challenging, but still fun.

He enjoyed the games that he took part in, always making sure not to 'exceed it'.

Fluttershy smiled at him as she watched him relax at last. "Very good!" She looked at the other ponies, glad to see that they appeared to enjoy Discord's company rather well. "Oh, good, it's going so well..."

~~~

Trumpets sounded amongst the castle. Upon the entrance stood a tall unicorn stallion. His coat was light cyan, his eyes a moderate mulberry. His back and flank were obscured by his dark cape, which extended slightly at the lower parts. Dark persian blue plates with silver stars and characters adorned his hooves and his chest, matching the dark blue crown that sat over his light azure-gray mane.

The announcer cleared his throat and presented the guest of honor with a loud, booming voice. "His Excellency from the Western Kingdom, Prince Modest, has arrived."

The high-class ponies clopped their hooves on the marble floor as they watched the new arrival make his way through the long carpeted hall to meet the princesses.

The prince wore a black suit under his cape. His mane was combed back, with a few bangs covering his left side slightly. He gave a smile and a pose that represented his name.

Celestia and Luna both looked at him as they awaited by their thrones. Celestia smiled a little when he approached them, while Luna remained serious and poised.

Rarity gasped as she and her friends watched the prince as he walked by. "Oh, but he is simply DASHING! And look at that vest, too! I _must_ meet his designer!" She whispered eagerly to the others as she marveled at the clothes, which had a high style selected and fitting for royalty.

Pinkie Pie smiled as she whispered back, though loudly. "I wonder what it's like in the West Kingdom? I've never been there! Maybe we should ask him about it later! I'm sure it must be fun, too! We should make a trip to the Western Lands! Think he'd be willing to take us along?"

"Well, Pinkie Pie, with that-"

Applejack looked at them. "You two shush or everypony here will hear ya. Don't wanna grab that kind of attention now, do you?" She gestured them to be quiet with her hoof.

Rainbow Dash smiled a little as she stretched. "So it's another royal, big deal. Though I gotta admit, it's pretty cool that it's a prince ruler. Must be a strong unicorn."

"Leave alone dashing!" Rarity stepped forward just a bit to get a better view. "And you know what? He doesn't look a thing like that royal pain, Prince Blueblood!"

At that, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash couldn't help but laugh.

Applejack smiled at her. "You mean that 'Prince Charming' of yours, Rarity?"

"Some catch you ended up having!"

Rarity frowned a little. "Oh, Rainbow Dash, don't get me started!"

Pinkie Pie bounced a bit to look over the crowd's heads. "He really doesn't look related to the princesses. I wonder how many outside royalty there are?"

Twilight spotted her friends and walked over to them to try to calm them down. "Girls, settle down, you don't want to upset the new arrival-no, I don't know him personally, by the way." She shook her head and raised an eyebrow as she saw that Rarity had sighed with disappointment. _What, do they expect me to know every royal pony there is around the kingdoms?_

~~~

Fluttershy peeked inside once everypony had gone in to get a look at the royal guest. "Goodness, I wonder who just arrived..." She had been too caught up with the games, glad that Discord was getting himself back together, to hear the loud announcement.

Discord stood up and looked at the door. "He seems important, I'm curious about him too. How about we check it out?"

He looked back at the young ponies that enjoyed his tricks for a bit longer before going off to their parents. "Everypony else is doing it, anyway. We shouldn't get left out of the loop."

Fluttershy nodded. She looked at him as they walked closer to the door, behind the crowd. "Okay. But first, do you feel better now?"

"I... I'm feeling better, yes, Fluttershy. In fact, I think my issues with Celestia have just about left my head! All thanks to you. You sure know how to mend something."

"Oh, good! I'm really glad." Fluttershy felt genuinely happy upon seeing that so far everything was going well that night.

She still did not understand why the 'issues' with Princess Celestia troubled Discord so, but she was not about to pressure him about them and remind him.

She believed that if he had a problem, she would wait until he was comfortable enough to share it. While she was curious about it, Fluttershy had no doubt that, as friends, Discord would trust her when he was ready to do so.

~~~

The prince bowed his head to Celestia and Luna as he stood before them. "Your Sun and Moon Graces, you have honored me with the cordial invitation to your galant ball. I am delighted to announce you at this exquisite event of yours that you will have my kingdom's entire respect and admiration, as well as my own."

The princesses smiled and returned the formal gesture.

"It is our greatest honor to have you here as well, Prince Modest. Please feel free to ask for our assistance in case you need anything, my sister and I will be very happy to help." She looked at the ball that went on before them. "We hope that the event will be to your liking."

As Celestia spoke with the prince, Luna lifted her gaze to see him, but quickly looked away.

Prince Modest nodded. "I'm sure it will be. Canterlot has yet to disappoint my visits. If it's not an inconvenience, Your Highnesses, I would like to meet the heroines whom rumors of victory over a draconequus have spread like wildfire in my kingdom's council." He spoke attentively as he directed himself to Celestia, then smiled at Luna every once in awhile.

"Oh, but of course. I would be more than happy to introduce them to you." Celestia looked around at the crowd. She smiled as the crowd grew a bit excited upon the mention of the Elements of Harmony and some of their anecdotes. "Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. Please come on over, the prince wishes to meet you."

Rarity squealed and nearly fainted at the Princess' call. She had to be supported by Applejack as they made their way to meet the royalty.

Applejack bowed to the three royal ponies. She stood up to speak to the prince. "Yeah. Same here, Prince. We're all glad to meet ya too. Applejack's the name, sir."

Rarity smiled as well as she did an elegant curtsey. "My name is Rarity, Your Highness. It is quite a pleasure and an honor to have you in our kingdom, sir."

Twilight bowed her head. "Yes, thank you for visiting us, Prince Modest. I am Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia's student. I will be happy to-"

Rainbow Dash quickly few before the prince. "They said it. Name's Rainbow Dash, Prince. You won't be sorry to meet me and my friends, we'll be sure to live up to everything you've heard!"

Modest smiled. "Is that so? I'm glad. I've heard so much about you that-"

"Hello, Prince Modest! I'm Pinkie Pie! Hopefully you'll be staying in Equestria for a while, it's a great kingdom! Ever been to Ponyville? Oooh, you gotta come to Ponyville, it's great over there! We all live there and do a bunch of fun stuff! I live with the Cakes-"

Applejack patted the pink pony to calm her down. "Alright, that's enough, sugarcube, you don't wanna tire the prince when he's just got here."

~~~

Fluttershy yelped a bit as Celestia called her and the others forth. She immediately leaned closer to Discord as she tried to hide. "I-I'm not here! I'm not here, I didn't make it, I couldn't attend to the gala. I'll introduce myself to him later, when he's... by himself. Once everything is over. With, nopony watching me!"

Discord said nothing as his pegasus friend hid behind him with fright. He patted her head and looked at the crowd, which had begun to glance at their direction. "Alright, Fluttershy, let's go back outside."

He showed a strange sense of protection towards her, ever since they became friends. He wouldn't usually be so quick to show that side of his, but it was different with her, as she had a way of drawing that side out of anyone.

He looked back at the awaiting Elements and royals. He tried to avoid Celestia's sight but could hardly manage to do so as she and the others spotted them.

~~~

Modest chuckled as he finally found a chance to speak to the five ponies. "The pleasure is mine, Heroines of Harmony. Your task of converting a draconequus to stone has become a fashionable tale amongst all in my castle. But we all grow curious, what fate lies with this creature?" He glanced aside as his eye caught a glimpse of a pink-haired mare pegasus that shied away from the crowd.

Twilight smiled as she gladly explained their most recent accomplishment. "He was reformed, Your Highness. By none other than our friend Flutter-" She stopped when she noticed that Fluttershy was not there with them. She sighed with annoyance. "Ugh, not right now... Our friend Fluttershy, sir."

Rarity turned to glare at Fluttershy impatiently as the others looked at her as well. "Fluttershy! Get over here, darling! We're all waiting for you!"

"Oh, dear." Fluttershy muttered to herself as she jumped right behind Discord.

Celestia smiled a little and looked back at Modest. "You'll have to excuse her, she's a little shy." She glanced at Fluttershy again. "But you can come meet Prince Modest at any moment, Fluttershy."

She looked up at Discord, whom she inevitably had to look at, since Fluttershy was hiding behind him. "...As can your new friend, of course."

Fluttershy peeked from behind Discord as she figured that she was basically embarrassing herself (and now Discord, most likely) more by making the princess openly call out to her.

"Oh, I probably should have gone there from the very beginning..." She muttered as she hesitantly stepped away from him.

Her eyes fixed downwards as she tried to avoid the crowd that looked at them and opened the path for them to cross. "Hmm..."

Discord sighed. _So much for a memorable, good night._ He patted Fluttershy's head as they approached the princesses, the prince, and Fluttershy's five friends.

Prince Modest took Fluttershy's hoof for a short moment and kissed it gently. "It's a pleasure, Miss Fluttershy." He finished his greeting with a gentle smile.

Discord avoided the princesses' sight as they watched the greetings. He smiled nonetheless as he awaited to be acknowledged by the prince.

Fluttershy swallowed a bit and nodded quickly as she briefly glanced at Discord, then pointed at him with her hoof. "Th-This... This is... ThisismyfriendDiscord."

The remaining Mane Five sighed. Rarity smacked her forehead in frustration.

Celestia smiled a little. She stepped forward to take over and fix the awkward introduction, glad that Fluttershy didn't mind at all. "Prince Modest, allow me to introduce Discord, the Master of Chaos. He was reformed by Fluttershy and is currently working on great progress, I hear. So far, Fluttershy is considered to be the one friend he _ever_ had..."

Discord cringed a bit, uncomfortable at the almost visible meaning that her last little comment had. Physical, rather. He could feel once again the weight of boulders crushing him, all from the guilt.

Once again she had to bring up what he had said to Fluttershy, in a way that only he would know what she really meant... Blast himself for ever uttering some foolishness like that.

_Of all the dumb things I've said and done, THAT had to be what stuck the most, hadn't it?_ He swallowed nervously as he fidgeted with his tail. _Among... other things that stuck, of course..._

He was quite glad when Celestia continued her speech less than a second later, as her emphasis actually went undetected by the rest, except for Twilight and Luna.

She remained completely calm as she finished introducing Discord. "But everypony will work on changing that, once things become a bit more amicable. Within time, the rest of our subjects will be ready to offer his friendship to him as well, if he will equally offer his."

"I never met a draconequus before. I must say, this is a fine tale to tell back home. Your kingdom continues to amaze me, Princess Celestia." Modest looked at Discord curiously with a small smile on his face. "And what are your abilities, exactly? If I may know."

"Power over time and space, of limitless capacity." Discord stretched his claw and negated the effects of gravity around the palace.

All the guests gasped and screamed in surprise as they all began to float, except for Discord himself. He laughed and looked around at the many different reactions that his trick caused.

Fluttershy smiled a little, while the other five seemed rather uncomfortable. "This is new, Discord. I like it."

"Well, it's not very different from when I was spinning your cottage in the air, Fluttershy, except that now the objects and everypony else float!" Discord smiled as he looked at a floating tray with appetizers.

Celestia glanced at Discord with a warning gaze, then closed her eyes once he wordlessly returned gravity back to normal. She looked back at Modest and smiled. "Thank you for the compliment, prince. My sister and I surely appreciate it."

The prince fixed his mane with his hoof and let out a laugh. "Well, I'm glad to hear so. I'm glad to have met you, heroine ponies." He looked at the Mane Six and nodded his head in acknowledgement. "My subjects will welcome any of you warmly, should you decide to visit the Kingdom of the West."

Music started playing again in the ballroom once the formal introduction was deemed over.

Discord stood next to Fluttershy with a satisfied smile. "Well...?"

Fluttershy gave him a small smile in return. "That... wasn't so bad." She looked at her friends as they gathered together once again to make a conversation.

Rarity glanced at Prince Modest, then looked back at her friends. "Oh, I MUST go to the Western Kingdom and see what everything in there is like. It sounds fabulous! I'm sure there will be plenty of elite social ponies to get to know... Oh, and I know Sweetie Belle will love going on a trip with me, as she always does! My parents would be delighted with the idea, too..."

Applejack nodded and smiled. "Speakin' of work, and families... Ah should get in touch with the Apples over there, see how they're all doin'. Been awhile since we all talked..."

"Bet everypony there won't talk about anything else that isn't us, girls! Especially when I show them my stuff. Oh, they'll love my rainbow tricks! Bet they've never seen a Sonic Rainboom before! Though that's getting a little old..." Rainbow Dash looked up as she thought about her list of tricks. "Maybe I should tag along with the Wonderbolts for a real awesome demonstration..."

"And let's not forget the fun! The parties! I bet it'll be amazing when we drop by over there, just think of the welcome gathering we're going to have! The Prince will tell everypony all about us, so they'll be eager to meet us!" Pinkie Pie practically bounced as she imagined a huge crowd of ponies welcoming her and her friends quite happily.

She looked aside at the dance floor and smiled. "Ooh, everypony's started to dance! I'll be right back!" She then dashed away before anypony else could say another word to her.

Twilight sighed and smiled as she took a cup of punch. "It'll be very nice to go see Prince Modest's kingdom. I bet it must be very extensive as well. I personally can't wait to see notes on the kingdom's resources and what they have to offer when it comes to knowledge."

Fluttershy watched them talk and joined in the conversation every so often. She also turned to Discord and included him in the talk whenever she could. When it was not possible, she simply started a new conversation with him, and nopony paid that any mind.

~~~

The princesses had gone back to their seats. They talked with one another as the music's rhythm slowed down just a bit.

Luna blinked and nervously looked ahead, then back at Celestia. "U-Um... Sister..." She muttered as she pointed behind Celestia with her hoof.

Celestia turned around to find Modest awaiting her. "Oh. Hello, Prince Modest."

The prince smiled at her as he started his proposal. "My apologies, Princess, for intruding. I was wondering if perhaps you would like to join me in dancing this piece?" He stretched out his hoof to her.

Discord joined Fluttershy in the dance, as she was his only company.

Celestia smiled at the prince and took his hoof so he would lead her. "I would be glad to."

Fluttershy smiled apologetically at the draconequus. "I-I'm sorry... I don't dance much, Discord." She moved a bit self-consciously at the tempo of the music as she tried hard to keep up with it.

"Usually I sit down and pass on pieces like this. But, you know, besides being uncomfortable about everypony being doubtful about you... I'd say you're pretty familiar with this environment." She smiled as she watched him dance with total ease, as though he went to balls like those of the Grand Galloping Gala all the time and every night.

She then gasped and stepped back before she accidentally stomped her hoof on Discord for the third time. She blushed a bit. "Um, surely you didn't attend a gala before, right? I-I mean, well... They weren't around that, um... The time..."

Discord raised an eyebrow as she stammered. Already he felt a bit nostalgic. "W-Well, you'd, um... You'd be surprised, dear. I-I mean, I was here in Equestria about a thousand years ago, after all."

He looked at the dancing ponies around them. "I... I did get to see a thing or other like this, while I was... 'passing by'. It was, actually, quite entertaining..." He muttered as he glanced aside.

He remembered his first ball at the Canterlot palace, all those years ago. It was his first and last ball in quite some time, until this one. He found that the satisfaction and comfort of this night hardly even compared to that which he had felt on that memorable night. Not by far.

Prince Modest led the princess to the center of the ballroom. All the ponies gathered in a circle around them, their eyes charmed as they watched the royal pair.

They were all happy to see that the princess was enjoying herself. In the back of their minds they also hoped that, at long last, Equestria would have a prince once again... Perhaps even a king, with time. All who saw the pair as they danced thought of the possibility.

As Discord danced with Fluttershy, and rubbed his sore foot, he turned around to see Celestia and Modest dancing together. His mouth fell open, he became speechless. His eyes could look nowhere else.

Celestia smiled and chuckled slightly as she acknowledged the ponies' interest, but said nothing about it.

Fluttershy smiled as she watched the prince and the princess during their dance. "They look good dancing together. Oh, I bet they'd make a cute couple, too."

Rarity nearly swooned with adoration towards the dancing royals. "An adorable couple indeed. Oh, I can already see it... Them together, as rulers of one kingdom or other, it'd be amazing! Oh, so sweet, they could rule Equestria together while their descendants ruled the Western Lands! It would be a dashing prince, or a lovely princess, too~" She went on with her rant about Prince Modest and Princess Celestia, which was turning into a rant of _Queen_ Celestia and _King_ Modest...

It obviously did not help Discord's shock and his new surge of uncontainable nerves.

It was Twilight who glanced over at Discord and saw his state. As soon as she saw him, she got a pretty clear idea of what was going on. She raised an eyebrow as she turned away cautiously. _I have a feeling this is not going to end well._

Fluttershy looked at Discord and patted his claw. "Discord, is something wrong? You seem so..."

Discord's frustration made him lose control of his powers momentarily. A slight earthquake shook the entire palace, albeit not extremely violent. As everypony trembled and shook, they lost their attention on Discord and focused on getting to safety, or panicking uselessly.

He didn't pay attention to the frightened crowd anyway. Not even at the six ponies around him, or at the prince and princesses. He simply vanished through the walls and left for the Everfree Forest. As he left the earthquake, ceased almost immediately.

Prince Modest stood up and ran over to the princesses. He helped Luna up, then he turned to Celestia. "Princess Celestia, are you alright?!"

Celestia nodded and quickly looked around the room. "I'm fine. What about you?"

"I'm alright, don't worry."

Luna made sure that all the guests were alright. She tried her best to calm them down, but did not manage. She quickly gave Celestia a desperate look. "Sister, I can't handle this-"

Celestia stepped forward. "Don't worry. I'll take it from here. You go outside and find Discord, Luna."

"Discord?" Luna seemed a bit surprised to find that Discord was missing.

"Yes. I want to make sure that he's fine as well. Don't let him do anything with his magic."

"Yes!" Luna flew out of the doors and searched around the palace grounds for the draconequus.

~~~

Fluttershy was also searching. She looked up and spotted the Princess of the Night. "Oh, Princess Luna!"

"I'm looking for Discord. Have you seen him anywhere, Fluttershy?"

"He was with me before everything started... He just disappeared, princess, I can't find him anywhere!"

"Don't worry. If we search together, I'm sure we'll find him quickly. Don't panic and just pay attention, he could be hiding anywhere. As soon as you see him you must tell me. We don't know what he's up to if he disappeared like that."

"He seemed quite upset, princess-"

"Then we'll do our best to calm him down before he hurts anypony. It'll be fine, please don't worry."

They searched all around the gardens, eventually discarding them when they confirmed that Discord was nowhere around the palace. So they searched further.

"Let's move on to the Everfree Forest, Fluttershy. We never know-"

"But, I-I don't think he'd go in there, princess, I mean-"

"It can't hurt to just see. I'll make sure nothing happens. We need to move, everypony could grow suspicious of Discord the longer we take!" Luna urged Fluttershy along as they neared the forest.

However, as soon as they remotely approached it, they were repelled by a force so strong that it physically hurt them. It shocked them and then threw them hard upon the ground.

Luna grunted and pushed herself up after she recovered from the hit. "What... What is this?!"

Fluttershy looked up at her. "Princess, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Fluttershy." She walked up to the forest and cried out again as the force rejected her again. "It's... It's got to be a barrier, but I've never seen power like this before?"

"Can you break it?"

"I already am trying to do so... It's just too strong, I won't do anything to it on my own. We'll have to call the others, Fluttershy. Wait here, do not go any further!" With that, Luna opened her wings once again and took flight towards the palace.

Fluttershy looked up at the dark forest before her. She walked just around the area that was not blocked by the invisible force. "Discord? Discord, where are you?!"

She flew into the air to see if she would be able to spot him from above the ground. That effort was meaningless too. Discord simply was nowhere to be found. "Oh, no, this really isn't good... Discord, why did you run off...?!"

She continued to call out to him as Luna called for backup. Her attempts were futile, for Discord did not appear anywhere, even when she raised her voice a bit higher to call him.

Everything had gone relatively well at the gala, or so she had believed. She just couldn't explain why Discord grew so upset all of a sudden... To the point where he lost it and unleashed his powers... And ran away without telling even her where he was going...

And now that magical barrier thing... It really worried her and she couldn't stop thinking about it or calling out to Discord. "Please don't let anything bad happen to him... Please Discord, come back soon... I really don't want you to get in trouble, we were doing so well... Please let us find you..."

* * *

I really liked Discord's memory of how the Mane Six had to pull him out of Fluttershy's cottage to attend the gala. I was tempted to put details on it, like a flashback, but I decided it'd be better and much more hilarious to leave it to the fans' imagination.

Wow, talk about tense and awkward here. I feel bad for Discord. But honestly, I think he seriously misunderstood things. Though, if you think about it... Things were already tense between him and Celestia.

Then... Poor Prince Modest (yay, another OC! Hopefully I develop him well) had to make a friendly visit and make anything worse... Seems like the Princess isn't the only one who can't read into things, Discord. Or perhaps you read too much. I mean, it was just a dance... And there he goes, getting all jealous.

I feel bad for Fluttershy, too. The poor thing's gonna be worried sick about him. And he was doing so good... I think Fluttershy did very well with Discord, until he lost it.

How was my play on the other characters, like the Mane Six? I want to make sure they don't look like they were just thrown in there to fill.

Once again... I kinda feel this chapter was a bit... lacking... I don't know why, it looks pretty much fine... It's not like all chapters can be as intense as the ones I've made before...


	4. Not Bad After All

**Not Bad After All**

Discord crawled on all fours through a familiar clearing in the Everfree Forest. He reached the spot where the Dark One had abandoned him many, many years ago. It was from there that Discord took interest in the unknown world of ponies, and began his chaotic antics that led him to meeting the princesses.

He lowered his head and shut his eyes closed. "All that worrying... It was for absolutely nothing..." He grimaced and grumbled with himself as he sat alone.

He sighed and shook his head, feeling very angry with himself. He looked at his reflection in one of the ponds, then scoffed as he remembered Prince Modest's handsomeness. Not even a contest at the mere idea. "How stupid. How definitely very stupid."

After that, he continued to venture further into the forest without paying any mind to his surroundings. He tried to get the bitter thoughts out of his head, but it was useless. Nothing interested him enough to keep him from remembering the pain and humiliation that he had gone through.

He looked up as he noticed that the area around him was getting even darker than usual, and that was saying something. "Well. Guess I could stay here, make a life or something in this place... It's not like it would really matter if I did otherwise, would it?" He shook his head and sat on a stone.

After a few minutes of silent pondering, Discord was sure he heard a sudden giggle echo across the deserted, dark area.

It was a voice as melodious as that of a siren. The sound was unlike anything he had ever heard before. He didn't have much time to wonder about that laugh, for the voice quickly started to sing in the most heavenly way, as though it called to him.

"Hm? What's this?" He turned around and looked everywhere for the source of this new and beautiful noise.

"Ahh..." He chuckled as the sound continued to float through the area, enchanting many of the small creatures that dwelled nearby. With a smile, he stepped forward and tried to call forth the voice's owner. "Alright, enough hiding. If you're going to put on a show, you might as well give the audience a proper view." He continued to search as he spoke.

The sweet voice giggled again after it finished singing. It resounded around Discord with a lovely echo. _"But that wouldn't be fun. Ohhh... Why so sad?"_

Discord's ears perked up a bit as the voice seemed to get only a bit closer to him. He still could not locate the source, no matter how hard he looked through the trees and bushes, without moving from his spot.

_"I didn't plan for you to be like that tonight, it should be special. Perhaps we should try something to cheer you up?"_

There was some movement in the bushes behind him, though nothing emerged from them. Still, the sound of hooves and somepony walking away was heard nonetheless. _"How about a game of tag? I love that game. Preferably with hide and seek. Don't you?"_

Discord smirked, immediately hooked by the invitation. "Oh, please. You're looking at the world champion. Come, show your pretty face and let's play." As he snapped his fingers and turned invisible, he tried to detect the presence that spoke to him. It was tricky, though, as whoever it was had magic of its own to remain undetected, even by him.

Back at the palace, the royal guards searched for Discord. They scouted all over the palace, even the city, led by Prince Modest.

Celestia talked to a few of the guards that stayed behind to watch over the guests. Once she gave them instructions, she walked outside to look around herself. She sighed. "He's nowhere to be found..."

She looked at the Mane Six as they approached her, along with Luna and the scout group that Modest led.

Twilight patted Fluttershy as the pegasus continued to cry for Discord. She tried to console her, but it was no use. "Don't worry, Fluttershy, we're going to find him for sure. We just have to stay calm and keep looking."

Rainbow Dash fell back against the ground as she crashed against the magic repelling barrier. She cried out in pain when she landed on the ground. She had been blocked off when she tried to fly closer to the forest.

"Hey, what gives?!" She stood up and shook her head as she flexed her wings with a wince. "It's like something pushed me back! And it felt really painful, too..."

Luna nodded as she looked at the forest in front of them. It was so close, yet so out of reach. "I felt it, too. It's some kind of barrier, but it goes beyond a simple deflective spell. It also has offensive elements. My magic can't get through it at all. I can't even reveal it." As she spoke, she used her magic to try to find a hole in the barrier. There was none, but she continued to try nonetheless.

Prince Modest also cast a spell along with his bodyguards to try to revoke the shield. It proved pointless, as the spell field was too strong for them as well. "This isn't good... Even our combined magic is useless."

Celestia looked up at the invisible barrier. "I don't understand, how is something so powerful..." She stepped just a bit closer. "It wasn't here before. It couldn't have appeared out of nowhere, completely undetected by anypony, including the Royal Guard and magic scouts..."

The many attempts against the shield only hurt those that intended to bring it down.

She sighed and tried to think of a spell that could summon such a powerful barrier. She could think of nothing that had such strength, nor could she think of a counter spell that would be enough against it.

"Well, in that case we would have detected it, sister. It's so strong and harmful, it wouldn't have gone unchecked."

"Exactly... And why is it precisely around this forest...?"

Luna looked at Celestia as she walked closer to them. "None of us detected it until now, and it was by accident. So that means-"

Celestia frowned a bit as she thought. "A very powerful source of magic made this. On the event that it was cast so suddenly, the power must have been..."

"Sister... Do you think Discord may have done it?"

Celestia studied the nature of the barrier a bit more. "...No. I don't believe Discord would be capable of something like this. This spell inflicts harm, plenty of it, too. So far, Discord hasn't shown such a ruthless nature with his powers. Not enough to mean actual harm."

She looked at Luna, who raised an eyebrow at her. Surely at that moment she remembered their past battles with him, but Celestia chose to disregard that and continue her observation of the barrier. "It does shield the Everfree Forest, though. The one that cast this barrier meant to keep anypony out of the forest, and also harm any intruder while blocking any entrance."

Luna nodded as she started thinking. _So the creature responsible for the spell enjoys inflicting unnecessary harm..._ She shook her head with distaste.

Modest walked behind the princesses after he ordered his guards to try to surround the barrier. "I wonder just what in the world they are hiding... Whoever they are."

Luna looked at Modest then at the Royal Guard. "Whatever it is, we must try to bring this barrier down soon, or go around it, whatever strategy might work. We can't take any risks, especially with enemies lurking around anywhere. If there's something in the forest that could harm the kingdom, we need to know immediately. Bring out more soldiers to figure out a strategy."

Celestia raised an eyebrow as she stared at the dark woodlands. _I'm pretty sure Discord went in there..._

Prince Modest smiled a little as he walked up to Luna, who directed the Royal Guard into different attempts to get through the barrier. "Perhaps we can dig under the shield to enter."

Celestia looked at him with a questioning look. "Dig under it?"

"It might work, it might not, but we have nothing to lose."

"I see."

"If we do manage to get through, Princess Celestia, it would be wise to take a guard escort along with the scouts and ourselves. Whatever is in there that is capable of this level of magic will surely be nothing to play around with."

"You're right, Prince Modest. We can give that a try, and it is good to be cautious at the moment." She looked over at Luna. "Please have the captain of the guard send for reinforcements, and all the necessary equipment to dig."

"Yes, sister." With that, Luna turned around and headed towards the Royal Guard. "Very well, here are your new orders, we need as much help as we can get. When backup gets here, we're going to dig a..."

The voice giggled again as the bushes around Discord continued to move. The sound of hooves faded every so often as he pursued whatever clue he could find. _"You're getting closer~ Just a bit more..."_

Before he could reply to the voice, Discord found himself in a place surrounded by tall trees. It was once again difficult to see through the darkness and shadows, but he did not mind as he moved forward. "Quite an interesting place... I see you're not afraid of the dark."

He smiled with delight as he heard the lovely giggle again.

_"Of course I'm not, silly. Why would I be afraid of it? Darkness can be interesting, as can light. Everything can be turned into great fun if you have the right mind about it."_

As Discord walked forward, he found a small, shimmering figure that sat by the shadow of the trees.

The creature that seemed to await him was the most beautiful mare he had ever seen, probably the most beautiful in all of Equestria, even more than the princesses.

She seemed to be able to change the shape of her body. While she sat on the dark grass, she looked just a bit taller than the average filly. But as she stood up and stepped a bit out of the shadows, she took the slender size of an adolescent mare, about as old as Discord had been when he first appeared in Equestria.

She had a creamy, pearl-white coat, with a long, wavy light brown mane that hung loosely from her side and her shoulders. Her eyes were of an exquisite honey-brown color, and she peeked at him through long eyelashes. Both her mane and coat seemed to sparkle just slightly in the moonlight and shadows.

Her wing was large and beautiful as well, fitting of the alicorn she was. She appeared to have been combing it before his arrival, for she shook it just a bit, then folded it back at her side.

The lovely living piece of melodious art faced Discord from her right side and kept her left side obscured by the shadows. "..."

She giggled once again when she spotted him at the other side of the clearing. With that, Discord confirmed that the melody of a voice belonged to her. "Hello, big brother. I've been waiting for you."

He simply stood frozen in his spot, his mouth hanging open as he stared at her. "Um... I..." He quickly shook his head, then cautiously stepped closer as he gave her a doubtful look. "I'm sorry. Do we... know each other?" He was still mesmerized by her sight.

She chuckled at his reaction. "Oh, we certainly do, brother. Or at least, a bit. I do. You're quite... famous, where I come from."

_Where she... Brother...? What does she..._

She smiled and sat down in front of him. "But never mind all those boring things."

_Okay..._ Discord smiled a little as she looked at him with an excited smile.

"I'm very glad to finally see you. I was wondering when you would leave that dull party of theirs, so that I could meet you. It felt like forever..." As she made herself comfortable on the grass, she kept her right side and lower half obscured in the darkness that surrounded them. But that detail did not seem to matter at all at the moment. Discord was just glad that he could finally meet the creature... the _beautiful_ creature that he had been chasing. She sounded and looked lovely, beyond description.

She looked up at him with a kind, curious look. "Did something happen at that ball, big brother? I don't like to see you sad. I wouldn't want you to feel so down during our first meeting." She appeared a round table between them and placed it on the ground gently.

Though her horn did not glow with any magic, she also appeared a beautiful tea set on top of the tablecloth.

The pot levitated and poured tea in the cups. Then a plate with scones appeared beside the pot once it set back down on the table.

She smiled and made a scone float in front of her. She looked at Discord as he got comfortable on the grassy chair. "Care for a late night snack?"

Discord smiled and leaned back on his chair. "I was not aware the Dark One still cared for my existence." He raised his paw and took a few scones.

The mare blinked, slightly surprised. _He... He already figured out I come from the Dark Land, too...?_ She chuckled a bit._That's... Wow, big brother, you're even better than I thought..._

Discord put a straw through the scones and drank them. The scones made odd, bubbling motions as he drank, as if he was blowing bubbles through them instead. As for the cups, he chewed on them, eating the porcelain with ease.

"As for the party... Well, it was..." He remembered Celestia as she danced with the prince. He winced at the memory and tried to shake it out of his head. "...It just wasn't my thing."

She gave him a sympathetic look and a smile. "Oh..." She took an empty glass from the table as she spoke. "I see. It never seems to be my thing either, gatherings. I must say... You are rather sharp, brother. Fitting of what I imagined you to be."

"Heh. Am I?"

She gave him a small amused smile, then filled the glass with chocolate milk. She drank the glass, then let the milk fall inside a hole that appeared the ground, where it exploded out of their reach and sight and caused a brief tremor through the ground.

As if she had known-which she most likely did-the quake that the explosion caused closed off what little progress the Royal Guards had made underground, through another, far end of the forest.

She smiled again and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Glass always does taste better with milk, doesn't it?"

She nodded. "Chocolate is the best."

Discord laughed as she giggled. "Ohh, you're a good one. A very interesting good one, alright."

She levitated another cup with tea, though her horn did not glow that time, either. "I'll be honest, I really look up to you, brother." She glanced at him sweetly just as he opened his mouth to ask something. "I feel there is so much that I could learn from you. And your ways thoroughly amused me when I learned of them back... home. So I look forward to making mine just as great and glorious."

"I see... I'm glad to have such a cute, adorable admirer, I'll admit..." He chuckled as he saw her blush slightly. "Is that where the 'brother' comes from?"

"Of course! I can't see you like anything less. You are my big brother, an important someone from whom I will learn all about Chaos." She drank from her tea. "As a big brother, I will always look up to you and do everything that you like to do, with what I like to do mixed in. It will be great! You'll never have to worry about any limitations or bad things with me, brother."

"Is that so? Sounds quite interesting. Makes me want to learn a lot more about you."

"Oh, brother, that's flattering... You have no idea how long I waited for this moment to come." She looked at the floating pot as it refilled Discord's new cup. "I've been practicing, and, I'll admit, I was so nervous! Most of my practice didn't end too well, but I'm glad that you've liked this so far. It makes me very happy to have you here at last, brother. Really."

Discord smiled as the mare lowered her gaze at the table while she drank her tea. He could see that she was still blushing, and was indeed a bit nervous, fidgeting with her hooves just a bit. _Well, I'll be. She really did look forward to meeting me, didn't she? Whoever she was... Whatever she... came... here... for..._

He was about to ask, but she laughed when the tea set suddenly started to dance on its own.

"Hey! Stop that, we're still having tea here, you can't take a break like that!" She covered herself from the spilling tea with her hoof, then looked up at Discord as he laughed as well.

Prince Modest ran to the princesses and the Mane Six once the brief earthquake ceased, leaving them all shaken up. "Princess Celestia!" He spoke in a shocked voice, out of breath. "The tunnels-they collapsed. We still have guards down there!"

Twilight frowned at the caved-in tunnel. _How did this happen...?_

Celestia quickly looked at the other guards as they rushed forward. "Let's begin a rescue procedure. As fast and carefully as you can."

Twilight ran over to the princess as they made their way to the caved-in area. "We'll help in everything we can, princess."

Applejack looked at the others. "They're right over this way! Ah hear 'em loud and clear, we gotta get movin'!" She threw a rope at Rainbow Dash as she tied it to the cart where they had hauled the dirt from. "Ah'll push, y'all make sure to pull it with all your might, RD!"

"Got it!"

Twilight walked over to her friends. "Pinkie Pie! You make sure to help the guards with the digging. The tunnel caved in badly, they need all the help that they can get."

"Okay! Alrighty, guards, we can do this! Let's do it together, let's go!"

"Fluttershy, Rarity, you two take care of the guards when they're out. Get the supplies from the other wagon, we should have enough for good first-aid attention."

Rarity ran towards the wagon as her horn glowed. "I'll go get it."

Twilight walked into the opening broken tunnel with Prince Modest. She waited until the guards were successfully pulled out. "We're clear!"

Modest looked at the tunnel. "It's still blocked..."

Twilight coughed when she was nearly covered by a small pile of fallen rubble and dirt. "Y-Yeah... We won't have another tunnel ready any time soon..."

Luna walked up to the guards as Rarity and Fluttershy helped tend to any wounds. "Is everypony alright?"

The guards saluted Luna even though they were covered in dirt and scratches. "Yes, Your Highness."

She sighed with relief. "You may take the rest of the night and rest." She smiled when they tried to protest. "You've done enough, please take the night off. Thank you all."

Modest sighed as he turned away from the tunnel. "I'm sorry for that... It was dangerous..."

"Don't worry about it, Prince Modest, at least you tried."

Twilight nodded. "Everything was going well, that earthquake happened all of a sudden. Nopony had even predicted it..."

_Like the barrier itself..._ Celestia shook her head. _I don't think it was a mere coincidence... They really don't want intruders. Now... Why they may not want them..._

Rarity frowned as she looked at the guards, then at the princesses. "Pardon my intrusion, but perhaps I might as well ask. Has anypony tried a teleport spell to get inside?"

Celestia frowned a bit. "Hmm... I'm not sure that would be very wise. After all, we don't know what's in there. Besides..." She looked at the unicorn guards that still cast their best spells against the barrier. "I don't think it would even work. The barrier repels all, I wouldn't be surprised if it repelled teleportation spells as well. I don't want anypony else hurt..."

One of the captains of the guard cleaned the dirt off his armor, then bowed to Celestia. "Then what do we do, Your Highness?"

Celestia closed her eyes a little as she stared at the ground. "There... There is nothing to do, except wait and be prepared. We won't be getting anywhere near the forest any time soon..." She seemed a bit more determined as she looked at the forest again. "But we can't let our guard down just because of that."

Discord looked at the alicorn again after a few minutes had passed. "Hm... Miseria. That is your name. Oddly, I cannot access any other memory of yours."

He snapped his fingers and turned the ground where they stood from green pasture to a plastic floor of pink and purple squares. "I think this will provide a better ambience, right?"

Miseria laughed with delight. "How do you know my name?" She was still careful to keep her right side from her wing down hidden. But that did not keep her from enjoying Discord's magic, as well as her own. "We didn't meet before, so there's no way you'd remember..."

"No, I don't remember us meeting, but I can read your mind, through your memories. Or, I would, if I could access more of them."

Miseria giggled as she brought her hooves up together.

Discord lowered down closer to her. "Say... When did the Dark One drop you off here?" He looked at the table as he turned it in his finger like a basketball. He tossed and rolled it on his shoulders.

Miseria looked at him with a smile. "Oh, shortly after your... Um, what did he call it... 'reformation', yes."

"Is that so?"

Miseria nodded. "Not that long ago. And, if you must know He created me when you were sealed in stone for the second time. I grew up in the Dark Land since then." As she spoke, she played with mounds of pink sand that suddenly appeared on the tiled floor. She smiled when she managed to turn the sand into feathers, then closed her eyes with delight as the feathers suddenly burst out into dust before she could stop them.

Discord scratched his head as he watched Miseria step away from him to continue playing. "Now, that is odd..."

Miseria looked aside and scooted away a bit when Discord teleported beside her. "Hm?"

Why didn't He create darker beings? I didn't even know He was capable of making alicorns..."

Miseria smiled a bit, then blushed as he massaged her shoulders. "Ooh, that feels good, brother..."

He smiled and nodded. "I think he did a wonderful job with _your_ creation." He tried to lean a bit closer, but chuckled just slightly when she stepped away, closer to the trees.

"Oh, brother, really..." She gave him a small, nervous smile. "You think so?"

"Sure I do. But say... What _do_ you hide under that beautiful shadow? Dark is not my style, but it certainly looks dashing on you nonetheless." He held her chin up with his finger as he spoke with a charming tone.

She blushed again and moved her head from his claw. "Um, nothing. It's fine, you don't need to see. It's not like I'm hiding anything..." She smiled and stepped back to walk towards the discarded table. "Now, how about we finish what we started over there and-"

He smirked, then snapped his fingers. The trees that overshadowed them crooked to the other side to let the moonlight shine above her.

"N-No!" She gasped as he revealed her gray lower body. "Wh-What-" She tried to hide, but the trees would not budge when she tried to pull them back in place.

The coat of her lower body was dull and a light gray, with no cutie mark on the flank for it was not the body of a pony. She had dark, sharp, clawed hind legs that did not seem like a bird's, or even a griffon's, and razor sharp, glowing wires of blue energy for a tail, which sparked when she got nervous or upset.

One of the things that made her lower body worse was her right wing, which was as large as her left alicorn wing, but much more horrible. It looked like a bat's, but not exactly so, more like a gargoyle. It had one claw at the upper part, and its color was a dark and light combination of gray, black, and dark blue.

She whimpered when she looked back at her hideous, lower form. "Oh, no..." She looked aside as Discord continued to speak.

"Honestly, if you're not proud of what you must hide, what makes you, then why be you at all? Look at me. Do I look like a charming stallion? No, not at all! I am Discord, and THIS is how I am! I have nothing to hide. You shouldn't either. If you wish to learn from me, that should be your first lesson."

Miseria looked down with a sad face. "Y-You don't understand... With me, it's different... So different... At least... Everypony knows what you look like already... They can decide if they accept you for your appearance, which you already completely displayed... I mean, they know what to expect. They don't feel like you 'lie' or 'trick' them into any frightening, hidden monstrosity..."

Discord raised an eyebrow as he saw her step back to raise her wings.

She smiled at her pegasus wing as she lifted it slightly. "At one angle, at one moment, the most beautiful creature in existence..."

Her face fell as she fluttered her gargoyle wing. She sighed and lowered her head. "...Hideous and feared at the next."

Discord looked at both of her wings with the same frown. "..."

"Everypony that I have come across during this time... They have all been the same. Mare or stallion alike, they are all mesmerized by this beautiful, wonderful appearance. And I like that. It feels good to have their attention and adorations. It feels like... Like they just might like me. But then... Then I show them what I truly look like... What my full appearance is..." Her voice broke as she rubbed her hoof over her eyes. "Th-That's when I lose them, and their charmed awe gives way to fear... You have no idea how much I hate that... I thought that you... I was afraid you'd be the same..."

"Shh... It's okay..."

"I wouldn't have taken it, brother, I... I was scared, you've been with them for such a long time, and everypony acted like this, I-"

He stood next to her and held her face. "I am no pony, you know." He gave her a reassuring smile when she looked up at him. "I do understand what it's like... To have crowds surround you that think greatly of you. And then... the next moment, they reject you and despise you for what you truly are. I know, girl. It really isn't easy."

She looked at his paw as he patted her head. Then he gave him a small smile.

"You shouldn't worry yourself with that. They're not worth it."

"Oh, brother..."

"I've learned from coming a long way that-"

"It doesn't matter to me anymore, Discord." She nuzzled closely against him, making him with surprise and blush slightly. "So long as YOU find me pretty and accept me."

He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up to his face. He chuckled as he began to flirt slightly while she smiled and delightedly received the attention. "Miseria. I'm loving your name, dear. It's got that chaotic touch I love so much."

He put her down and wrapped his tail around the two of them, just as Miseria nuzzled him.

"Really? Brother, I'm so glad!" She sighed and leaned her head against his neck. "I am simply loving tonight. You're just like I imagined you to be. In fact, you're even better."

Discord blinked as he stared ahead. Suddenly, he remembered a few of Celestia's comments, that had recently hurt him the most.

_"I don't understand why you're even bringing it up now, as it hardly matters anymore."_

"A creature that, as of the moment, I am hardly remotely interested in anymore."

The memories of Celestia dancing with Modest played in his head as clearly as if it was happening that very moment. He winced as he realized how happily she had danced with somepony else, while she could barely stand to see him.

"That..."

Miseria frowned a bit as she nudged Discord slightly with her hoof. "Discord?"

Discord smirked and looked down at Miseria with a raised eyebrow.

"What-" She blushed when he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"You know, I think this night was not so bad after all."

She gave him a delighted smile and cuddled a bit closer with him. "Oh, I'm so glad!"

* * *

Finally I let my OC, Miseria, make an appearance! You guys have no idea how I've been wishing to introduce her to you! She's one of my favorite characters, I like her quite a bit because of her personality (quite volatile, but very, very fun). I really wish I could draw so that I could show her to you.

She often reminds me of different ages, that mare. A playful filly alicorn-um, thing, sometimes, an adolescent, or young mare at other times. I think the in-between age appearance for her is that of a small-sized adolescent alicorn, like the Mane Six. But since she's half 'alicorn', she'd be taller than the average pony.

I thought this was a good chapter, but feel the parts with the royals, the guard, and the Mane Six need more work. I loved how Miseria dropped that chocolate milk right into the tunnel! She's good. Bad. Good in the bad sense of the word.

I'm glad that Discord found a playmate that's more akin to his chaotic personality. Not to mention a number one fan!

Also, I want to apologize because I've been taking so long to post. Once again, I'm editing the past chapters. I found some errors that really unnerve me (editing never ends, does it?). At the moment, I finished editing chapter 6, so... Still got a long way to go. I'll write a journal one of these days explaining myself in detail.

Meanwhile, I still appreciate very, very much that you take your time to read and comment, etc. THANK YOU!


	5. Chaos Brought Together

**Chaos Brought Together**

Miseria's cheeks tinted with a light blush when he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "What-"

"You know, I think this night was not so bad after all."

She gave him a delighted smile and cuddled a bit closer with him. "Oh, I'm so glad!"

"Heh, heh. Are you, now?"

"Of course! I want it to be the best it can be, brother. I've been waiting for a long time to meet you, so I want to make sure that you're comfortable. It makes me so happy to know that you like it!"

Discord chuckled again as he patted her head. "Makes me happy too, to have such an understanding little one to talk to."

"Right? Oh, am I glad you get it!" She jumped into the air and danced around, no longer hiding any of her features. "Do you like how I dance, brother?"

"Oh, it looks lovely, darling." Discord smile as he kept his eyes fixed on her while she laughed and moved in the air.

She giggled and stepped closer to him. "Okay. Since we're having our own little get-together here..." She tapped her hoof in the air. It sounded as though her hoof had tapped a solid surface.

Discord blinked and looked at Miseria as she tapped her hoof. "Miseria? What are you-" His ear twitched a bit as music surrounded the area, and he saw self-playing instruments float around them.

The music was exquisite, much better than that of the ball in the palace.

Miseria appeared beside him. She wore a glittering silver dress, her mane was tied up at the back of her head. She also wore diamond earrings and a necklace to match her gown.

Discord was nearly breathless as he stared at her. _I don't know what she went on about earlier, she looks absolutely..._

"Brother~"

Discord sighed and smiled again as Miseria floated in the air before him. _Gorgeous..._ "Hmm...?"

She smiled and stretched out her hoof toward him as he blinked again. "How about a dance?"

He smiled at her temptative outfit and stance once she lowered back on the ground. "Ohohoh." An elegant black tuxedo appear on him at the snap of his fingers.

The colored floor turned into solid-painted wood that shined with a polished finish under the moonlight.

He took Miseria by her hoof, and bowed a bit before he stepped closer to her. "It would be my pleasure, dearest."

She held a giggle in with her other hoof, then leaned closer to him. "Brother..."

And so their dance began.

The guards and Modest looked upwards as their ears sensed the faint sound.

Modest frowned as he looked around with a puzzled expression. "Is... Is that... music?"

Twilight quickly looked at the forest. _Music?_

Rarity nodded. "Oh, it definitely is. I would know that piece anywhere-"

Applejack scratched her head. "What in tarnation is music doin' over there? Ya know, in a dark, scary forest that's surrounded by painful magic and all?"

Luna shook her head. "It's far into the forest... We won't be able to at least see what's going on inside. The barrier covers all of this area, it's just, unbelievable..."

Twilight sat down and tapped her head with her hoof as she thought. _First the barrier, then the earthquake, now mus-wait. Discord was the one who did an earthquake before he left the palace... His powers got out of control because he was upset... Then the barrier... Discord's magic grows even greater with his anger or upset emotions... Then an earthquake again, and now random stuff..._

She sighed and frowned as she looked at the others. _Seems like an awful lot of Discordism to me..._

Discord transformed the floor again as they took a small break. That time, it changed colors brightly.

Miseria giggled as she looked at the floor. "Ooh, lovely. I've always liked a bit of colorful flash..."

He appeared cider cups over them, and they poured the sweet liquid like sprinkled rain.

Miseria laughed as Discord twirled her under the cider rain and continued to dance with her. "Brother, stop! Oh, you are spoiling me."

"Don't you just love that, my dear? I think you certainly deserve it."

Miseria blushed as she leaned back on Discord's arms. She smiled and nodded. "Yes. I do love it." She turned and let him hold her back, then move on to the next music piece. "Let's see more of it, brother!"

Celestia seemed a bit confused. "Just what is happening in there...?" She tried in vain to make sense of what was happening in the forest, far out of their reach.

From that long and mysterious distance, the smell and colors could be detected, and they only confused them all a lot more than they already were. Everything seemed as though a party or event was hosted deep inside the forest, so hidden that even the pegasi couldn't find anything when they searched over the air. But, if it was a simple party... Why the powerful barrier? Why the earthquake that nearly hurt her guards?

Celestia frowned and touched the area where the spell was cast with her hoof. She grunted when she was pushed back, though that time she was able to remain on her hooves, albeit in plenty of pain.

"...Somehow the spell just got stronger. We won't even push through it anymore."

"Sister, I really have a feeling that Discord is in there. He's nowhere else, perhaps..." Luna's tone grew a bit quieter. "Maybe he is involved in this after all... He suddenly disappeared from the palace, without telling anypony..." She glanced aside._Though that might have been because..._

Celestia walked past Luna and looked down at the ground as she thought. _He might be inside the forest, yes... But what would he be doing there...? That earthquake at the palace... It was him, wasn't it? There's no doubt... Him being involved in all of this... I don't want to believe that... I really don't believe that he would be capable of this spell, even if he does have the power of Chaos. Nor would he be responsible for the underground explosion, but..._

She sighed and shook her head. _I just can't be so naive anymore... I have to face the facts for what they are... For what they unfortunately might be._

She looked up at the barrier. "Well, we'll just continue to search around the forest, be alert and watch out for anything that appears within it. We'll also take several turns casting spells at this barrier. It might not break it, but it probably will make it weaker."

Luna looked at her. "Well, we definitely will grow weaker."

"We'll take it easy and rest while others take over. There is not much else that we can try. While we're at it, we also need to make sure that things don't go out of hoof back with the citizens. Luna, I'll stay here for a few more hours. You go to the council and supervise their dealing with this situation. Please make sure that there is no panic or drastic measures."

"You got it." Luna opened her wings and flew away, towards the palace.

Celestia turned back to the guard and continued to give instructions along with Modest.

One of the cadets glanced around before paying attention to the music. "It's... It's got a good tune..."

Twilight gave the guard a glance as she raised an eyebrow. _Seriously?_

Pinkie Pie smiled and stepped forward as she tried to hear the music better. "Ooh! Yes! It's great for dancing together with somepony! And that smell, it's-it's like-"

"Yeah, cider, Pinkie, we get it." Rainbow Dash rubbed her wing, which had been hurt after her third attempt to fly over the forest. "What's the deal with this barrier anyway? What's it keeping in, or away?"

Celestia sighed as the powerful barrier spell glowed for just a few seconds before it turned invisible again. "...My only guess is Discord himself..."

Twilight looked at the Princess. "Discord?" I was starting to think that, too...

She watched as her friends talked among themselves after the Princess left to speak to the unicorn guards.

_He... He did seem quite upset when he saw the Princess dancing with Prince Modest... But... Chaotic as he was, I never actually saw him_ hurt _anypony... Is he even capable of doing anything to hurt after all this time? This barrier seems downright mean, not to mention dangerous... That's not what Chaos is about anymore... Is it?_

Rainbow Dash winced as she accidentally flapped her wings in anger. "Ow! Ohhh... I knew that no-good Discord was behind this! He's tricking us again, isn't he?!"

Fluttershy sniffed and shook her head. She looked up at her pegasus friend. "N-Now, now, let's not be so quick to judge. P-Perhaps he just needs some time, I told you it was probably too soon for him to-"

Rarity stepped forward as she looked at the rainbow-maned pegasus. "Rainbow, don't jump to conclusions, dear. Fluttershy did an excellent work in reforming Discord, we must have no doubt of that. There's no way he'd trick us again, especially not Fluttershy."

Rainbow Dash gave her a look. "But-"

"Now, darling. He's probably just taking a bit of the night to himself. It's only been a few days, after all. He was bound to need a breather sooner or later."

"E-Exactly. Besides, this is all too sudden for him, all this proximity-"

Applejack walked closer to the others. "He just got a mite scared, is all. Everypony bein' so close to him all of a sudden must've gotten to 'im, y'know."

Twilight rolled her eyes and glanced aside with her brow furrowed. _Along with other things..._

Fluttershy lifted one of her front hooves as she looked at Applejack. "Y-Yeah, Applejack's right. Also, we don't know if the spell is actually-"

Pinkie Pie looked up at the forest. "Well, isn't he the only one that can make strong magic appear just like that, all of a sudden?"

Twilight stepped forward as she looked at the others. "Well, we're still not certain if this spell is actually his to begin with. Or, if he's actually there. We can't pin the spell on him just because it's powerful and sudden.

"Th-Thank you, Twilight-"

Twilight smiled a little as she looked up at the dark, tall trees that were blocked from their reach. "If we can't get through it anytime soon, we'll just have to wait for the appropriate time to get our answers."

Fluttershy nodded in quiet agreement.

Celestia gave everypony a kind smile. "Exactly, Twilight. Everypony, let's just finish this for the night, there are other matters to attend to. Thank you for your efforts and your time. You are all dismissed, only the assigned guards may stay out here and continue to work until your shift is over."

She sighed as she watched the dismissed ponies leave. She then turned to give the forest a worried look. _I hope you haven't gotten into something bad, Discord. Not... Not again._

Miseria chuckled as she looked at Discord when the smell of cider and fresh flowers covered them.

He had appeared flowers of all glowing materials around them, and they smelled wonderfully, regardless of what they were made of.

"Oh, you mischievous spirit, you." She smiled with satisfaction as he held her again and lowered her down on her back, close to the floor.

"Heh. Well, hardly my fault, dear. You just seem to bring out the chaos inside me." He turned their coats into a dim diamond tone. He smiled when he saw the delight in Miseria's face as the lights glistened and reflected off them.

"I'll take that as a compliment. For I, too, wish to be the embodiment of Chaos and Disharmony, big brother." She chuckled again when Discord twirled her. "For a chaotic spirit, you are an excellent dancer."

Discord laughed at the compliment that was no longer new for him. "I don't remember having so much fun since...!" He suddenly stopped dancing as his smile faded, and his body slumped with the pain of the memories.

His lighted floor turned back to grass, the cider disappeared, and their coats turned back to normal.

He stepped back as his head suddenly pounded, and his chest felt crushed again. He was once more plagued with unwelcome, but familiar sensations that he had known since before he was turned to stone... either of the two times.

"Ugh, why won't she come out of my head...?!" He closed his eyes and held his head as he sat down.

Miseria looked around as the chaotic magic vanished. She sighed and looked at him. _Brother..._ She stood up and walked to him just as she vanished her dress and accessories, letting her mane fall freely at her sides again. "Oh, my poor, poor big brother..."

She stood in front of him as he continued to hold his head and mutter to himself. "So she's the reason you were so sad before... I feel really bad for you."

Discord looked at her as she leaned closer to him and supported her front hooves on his lizard leg. She looked so small once again, so beautiful as always, so loving... He could not bare look at her when his mind was filled with wretched thoughts. "Miseria, just..."

She patted his leg with her hoof as she looked down. "Discord, brother, I wish I could help you better..."

He did not see her frown as he continued to wallow in those unhappy thoughts that haunted him.

As she watched him, Miseria began to feel great dislike towards the Princess of the Sun, even if she had only caught a few glimpses of her. _Some good princess she is..._

She continued to try to comfort Discord. "There, there... Just don't think about her anymore, you'll be okay..."

"Heh. You sound just like Fluttershy, dear. Quite comforting..."

Miseria blinked. "Just like who?" She frowned just slightly and held his face. "Brother, no. I'm..."

She noticed that the sky had changed out of its dark color as morning set in. _...Daytime. Great..._

He sighed and patted Miseria's head, paying no mind as she tried to comfort him. "Now-"

"Discord, wait." She surprised him as she turned into her adolescent alicorn form, still holding her face in her hooves. "Let me speak, okay, dear?"

He smiled as she patted his face. "Sure, my dear... You go ahead and say anything you want."

"Good. Thank you." She nuzzled against him as he sighed. Her face turned a bit determined as she faced the ground while she nuzzled him. "...I will do everything in my power to help you, big brother. Anything."

She kissed his cheek and giggled at his flustered reaction again. "I think it is time for you to go now, unfortunately." She fluttered her wings slightly and held his paw with her hooves. "Will I see you here some other night?"

He blushed and stuttered as he continued to stare at her, into her hopeful eyes. "I-I..." He cleared his throat and chuckled. "Of course, Miseria. We'll meet every night, for as long as you wish." He gave her a reassuring smile, then blinked as he suddenly held a much younger mare that immediately sprang out of his arms.

"Yes! Eeeek! Yes, I'm so glad! Oh, I'm so glad, you're gonna come back, brother's gonna come again to play! I'm so happy, so happy, this is great!" She squealed and jumped in the air for a few times before she flew back to him and hugged him tightly.

"Ngh, Miseria, I said I'd come, but-"

"Good, then! I can't wait to see you tomorrow night! I'll have plenty of things to entertain you with. I'll be practicing, I promise! Oh, brother, it'll be so much fun!" She stepped back when she finally let him go. "Don't be late."

He sighed and patted her head. "I won't, dear. You'll see, we'll have lots of fun when I come back. I'm so happy to have found you, Miseria."

She nudged him forward after she rubbed herself against him. "It was meant to be, brother. We're Chaos brought together! Now you gotta go, before anypony starts wondering about you." She waved at him as he floated up in the air.

He then flew away with his wings, passing through the barrier with ease. He decided to rest on the castle's rooftops without any interruptions from anypony, wanting to use the lone time to ponder about Miseria.

Celestia walked back to the palace, still thinking hard about what had happened.

The spell wouldn't go down anytime soon, but everything else seemed normal. She even had to prepare herself to raise the sun as was her duty.

But, even with all the routine intact... She couldn't stop thinking about Discord, and the reason why he would have run off into the forest. If he had indeed responsible for the barrier, why would he have cast such a spell to keep everypony out? Again, if he was responsible.

She held her head and sighed as exhaustion threatened to take her over. The damage that she had taken from that spell and the stress was taking its toll as well.

A white stallion with a gray mane and beard stood in front of the princess' room. "Your Grace? It is me, Wiser." The princess' personal counselor knocked on the door again. His voice was weary but firm.

Celestia lifted her head from the pillows and groaned. Now this, too... She got up from the bed and walked to her desk to make herself presentable.

"Are you alright in there, princess?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Do come in, Wiser..." She levitated the letters of the day and placed them on her desk.

He entered the room and knelt as he spoke. "Your Grace, I am here to report some recent incidents regarding our visitor... And the influence that he has spread around the subjects of the realm."

Celestia frowned, then looked at him. "What? What are you talking about?" Even before he thoroughly explained, she already knew he was talking about Discord.

Wiser stood up once Celestia nodded her approval. "The high-class lords already rumor that the earthquake was caused by Discord's magic. This is placing doubt amongst the citizens. They're starting to question if we are in fact prepared to live in true harmony with the draconequus."

"I see."

"Some have suggested a solution, to which, if I may say, I concur... As methods of extra precaution for an unprecedented event, such as that of last night."

She raised an eyebrow and spoke with a slightly hesitant tone. "And that solution is?"

"We should 'house' Prince Modest, as a royal guest. We must allow him to be a part of Canterlot's social events. The charm of his presence calms the citizens' tense mood, which would be highly benefiting for us, if we want to avoid unnecessary problems and protests."

"But Discord-"

"Princess Celestia, the council and I have agreed that the draconequus, I'm afraid, is still not suited to become a part of the social integration without proper supervision. It was much too early, with all due respect. Now we have more problems to deal with, and if we continue to ignore them..."

Celestia nodded as she looked out the window. "Yes... I agree that it may have been too early for Discord to come to something like this."

Wiser looked at her as she turned her attention to him again.

"Very well, Wiser. Your idea seems appropriate. I will suggest it to the prince after breakfast today. Tell me, how is everything now? I sensed earlier that the spell disappeared in the forest."

"Our troops outside the forest scouted the area as soon as the spell vanished. They found nothing. No trace of cider, nor sources of the light beams. Not even a single instrument. The one responsible for the spell was long gone. Should something of odd occurrence have happened, no trace was left behind."

"As I thought..." _And expected._

"We tried to find Discord for interrogation, but he is nowhere in sight. And with all due respect, Your Grace, his attitude towards soldiers and authority figures is still rather mocking to say the least."

"Oh..." She rubbed her eyes as she tried to pay attention to Wiser as he spoke. _This all sounds just like Dust Tail and the others..._ That thought suddenly snapped her into full awareness, for she remembered that Dust Tail and the others had been right about Discord after all.

"He refuses to even acknowledge their authority standing. It seems he has no respect for anypony but Fluttershy and yourself, princess."

Celestia quickly stifled a yawn and nodded in understanding. _Luna's so lucky, she gets to rest for... well, as many hours that she needs to rest..._ "That's Discord, alright... It's always been like that, even when he was Wilder. There was nothing any of us could do to change that. I doubt there'll be anything... to do now..."

Wiser raised an eyebrow as she looked at the weary princess. "Your Highness?"

She cleared her throat, surprised and hurt at the mention of that name. She shook her head. _Why did I even mention that...? I must be more tired than I thought..._ "Don't worry. I'll try to speak to Discord about it when I have the chance, or have Luna help me with it. She was the one who convinced me to send his invitation along with Fluttershy's, so she might as well help handle this. Is that all, Wiser?"

"I believe so, your grace. The servants should have breakfast ready for you soon. You'd best make haste on preparing yourself to deliver the news to Prince Modest." With a slight bow, he turned on his hooves and left the princess' chambers.

Celestia sighed and watched him leave with a blank look. "Fine... Well, that shouldn't be too hard. The prince seemed friendly enough, I'm sure he'll comply well... Wiser, we'll be happy to have..." Before she knew it, she was slumped on her desk, breathing evenly as she drifted off into a tired sleep, forgetting all about the worries and events during the sleepless night, and the reports that followed.

* * *

More Miseria! Adorable, mysterious Miseria is adorable. Why must her appearance and voice plague my mind, never leaving my ears...? I love how she's coming along so far, but I daresay I'm still not doing her justice. But I gotta be patient, she's barely being introduced.

Well, did Discord have a fun night or what? Meanwhile everypony else was worried sick and suspicious about him. Very cool, Discord, you had the whole kingdom wondering about you after your tantrum.

One of my favorite parts was when everypony once again talked over Fluttershy. The poor thing... I feel that Rarity and Pinkie Pie have to shine a bit more.

...Did Wiser remind anyone else of Zazu? Just saying.

Also, I forgot to put in the last chapter... Miseria's singing? I'm sure you probably imagine it better in your minds, but it does sound beautiful, like a siren melody. And it does have that effect. It's like princess vocalizing, or, well... You get the idea. watch?v=MTf0bekwmjo I couldn't find any other pretty voices, sadly...


	6. Friendly Business

**Friendly Business**

Fluttershy hardly slept when everypony got back to the palace some hours ago. The princess had allowed them to stay in guest rooms, given the circumstances. She could not sleep not because she didn't find her room comfortable, but because she couldn't stop thinking about the gala night that had gone so well... Until Discord suddenly grew upset and left.

She and her friends had spent all night trying to find him, while encountering a spell that not even the princesses could break. That had only added to her concern.

She paced around the room, still worried about Discord.

"Ohh... What if... What if he felt sick, and there was nopony to help him? What if what I did wasn't enough, what if he felt_really_ bad about the gala...? Oh, my goodness, what if he doesn't want to be my friend anymore because I hardly helped him! I couldn't take that!" She lowered her head on her front hooves as she started to cry.

She sniffed after a few seconds and continued to talk to herself. "Th-There must be something I did wrong... Did I not notice something...? I-I knew it, I should have listened to him and let him leave when he told me... I should never have told him to go to the gala, the princess would have understood... It was just too soon for him!"

She kept pacing around the room. If her friends had been awake and in her room at the time, they would have been really concerned, urging her to stop. But they were not, so she had the chance to wallow in her concerns with no restriction.

"How selfish of you, Fluttershy! How could you think of only yourself? He said that he wasn't comfortable at the gala yet-but_no_, you had to go and tell him to just try until he felt confident. You had to tell him to-to just stick by with you so that nopony would bother him. Why did you go and try to make him comfortable with games?! Oh, you couldn't just let him go home and play with Angel!"

She moaned a bit and leaned over the windowsill. _What am I going to do...? Will I ever have the chance to apologize to him?_She whimpered and nearly cried again, unaware that Discord was actually a few rooms above hers, right on the rooftop of the palace.

He blinked, vaguely listening to Fluttershy's quiet voice as she ranted. Then he smirked and looked straight ahead, chuckling a bit as he raised an eyebrow and then disappeared.

His face appeared on the curtains, next to Fluttershy. He grinned as the curtains raised a bit closer to her without making a sound. _"Boo."_

Fluttershy yelped and jumped, then hid under the bed. "Curtains! They're going to eat me!" She cowered, then blinked after a few seconds. "Oh, wait a minute."

She popped her head out just a bit and looked up at the curtains as they floated and laughed. "Discord?"

_"Hello, dearie. I take it you had an uneventful night and morning."_

Her brow furrowed with confusion. "Uneventful? Well, Discord, we actually-"

_"Could you do me a favor and join me up here on the rooftop, Fluttershy? Oh, and also... Please be a dear and don't call any of your friends. I've got a little secret that I'll only share with you."_ The curtains moved according to Discord's expressions as he spoke.

Fluttershy thought for a second, then nodded and smiled at the curtains. "Um... S-Sure, I will." She stepped out of the bed, rubbing her eyes after she yawned.

She walked to the window and opened it carefully to fly out. _I wonder what this is about. Ohh... Maybe... Maybe it's about last night..._ She felt guilty all over again, but shook the thoughts aside to fly up to the rooftop and meet Discord as he had asked.

Once she spotted him, she gasped and jumped right into his arms to hug him tightly.

"Whoa, Flutter-"

"Oh, Discord, I'm so sorry, I really am, I really shouldn't have pushed you to stay anywhere you didn't want to stay-I should have been more attentive, I can't believe how selfish I was! I am really, really so very sorry for that, I had to take you more into consideration-I was so worried that something had happened to you or that you were feeling bad and I had no way to help, I didn't know what was happening-I was such a terrible friend, I don't know what I was thinking, can you ever, ever find it in your heart to forgive me?!" She spoke her apology in almost one breath, very quickly, and by the time she was done she was nearly crying.

He smiled and patted her head as he wiped away her tears. "Oh, Fluttershy. Your cuteness always gets the best of you. I am actually in eternal gratitude with you, my dear."

She blinked and gave him a surprised, curious look. "You are?"

He hugged her gently for a second. "Of course! You see, after I stormed out of that boring party, I... I met someone, at the Everfree Forest."

"Oh, you did? Discord, that's-that's wonderful! Who is it?"

She did not seem upset at all by the fact that Discord made her wait the rest of the night, worried sick-at some point crying her eyes out-while guilt ate her up. Nor did she seem upset because while everypony searched for him, including the princesses, he was happily making new friends, without a care of the world of the accidents he caused, or the blame that would befall her for taking responsibility of him.

At the moment, she was curious and willing to hear about whom he had discovered in the forest, for it seemed to make him quite happy, and she was completely satisfied with that alone.

"Her name is Miseria. She is the most charming of alicorns..."

Fluttershy blinked as she caught on to that odd detail. "An alicorn? But I thought-"

"...She and I danced and partied all night, it was so much fun! She even comes from the same place I did, Fluttershy, isn't that amazing?! She shows much interest in me, and we both share very similar experiences, so we understand each other very well..."

"Th-That's all very nice, but-"

He sighed and calmed down from his excitement. He leaned back to look up at the sky. "She's great Fluttershy... No, she's more than great, she's wonderful-MARVELOUS! No-that doesn't even cut it..."

"Oh, I'm glad for that, Discord. Really, I'm happy that you've found a good friend, but there's something that-"

Discord pulled himself together and looked back at her. "But I'm afraid you can't tell _anypony_ about this-er, yet. It must only stay between you and me, as a secret between friends."

Fluttershy tilted her head a bit. "Um, why does it have to be kept secret? I think it's great that you found somepony that you can share so much with-besides me. I would have no problem with her at all, since she seems to make you very happy. I'm sure that we could even get along well because of that."

She smiled a little as she touched his eagle claw. "We'd get along well because we'd both be your friends and want nothing but to make sure you're happy and well cared for."

He chuckled with a slightly nervous tone. "Well, dear, I'm sure the two of you would be great friends..." He rolled his eyes and whispered to himself, "not really."

"...But, um, for now, I'm afraid I'm the only one that can truly comprehend her. You see, she's just like me, in appearance. Well, very similar, anyway. She is not one complete form-an alicorn, but has a... something else, added to her. She understands me, just like I do with her."

Fluttershy blinked, a bit worried about what he was telling her. If it was a creature just like him... "Oh. I... I see. Then..." She pushed the next thought out of her mind.

The least she wanted at the moment was to aggravate him-and herself-with questions about Miseria's control over her powers. She would have to trust that Discord knew what he was dealing with.

She smiled sincerely at him. "In that case, if it makes you feel good, Discord, I will keep the secret for you. I just hope that you don't feel like you did last night ever again. If Miseria will help besides me, then I'll be more than glad to keep her between us."

Discord sighed with relief. He then glanced up as he thought about how to word the next question. He didn't want to make it suspicious at all, even if it was Fluttershy he was asking.

"Fluttershy, um... How did everypony react to my absence last night? I know you were worried sick, but what about the others?" He tapped his fingers together anxiously as he awaited her reply.

She sighed and looked down. "Well... My friends were also worried about you, really. Everypony was, since we couldn't find you anywhere. And there was this strange spell surrounding the Everfree Forest, it was very bad. It hurt all of us that tried to get past it, even Princess Celestia. I hope she's feeling better."

Discord frowned a little. "A spell?"

She nodded. "Some ponies talked about how the disruption and the spell were your fault-but Discord, I don't believe a word of it. I don't think you would ever be capable of harmful magic like that. It was just too... harmful." She looked up at him with a reassuring look. "I think it was normal for you to lose control at the gala due to the pressure..."

Discord glanced aside. "Well, about that, heh, heh..."

She leaned closer to him. "But there's no way that spell could have been yours, I'm sure of it. The Princess was sure of it too-she was out there looking for you as well. Oh, she was so worried..."

"Was she?"

"Yes. She stayed up all night looking around the forest, then talking to the others so they wouldn't be upset with you. She just wouldn't calm down, until..."

Discord smiled, once again touched with Fluttershy's trust. He then smirked triumphantly to himself. "Oh, YES!" So the Sun Princess had spent her night worrying about him, had she?

He could just imagine how upset SHE would have been, if only she had seen the lovely dance that _he_ and Miseria enjoyed while Celestia was worrying her heart out. He wished he could manipulate the memories and bring her to a flashback of that scene, her face would be priceless!

He grinned as he held in his laughter. _Heh, heh, how's THAT for jealousy, Celestia?_

Discord smirked and caressed Fluttershy's mane as he spoke. "Oh, Fluttershy, I assure you that the spell was none of my doing. Miseria simply wished to keep our meeting... _private_, if you will."

Fluttershy frowned a bit. _Wait... Miseria...? His new friend cast that spell...?_

She nuzzled against him and closed her eyes. "I knew it wasn't you. I had no..." She yawned. "No doubt about it..." The sleepless night was beginning to catch up to her.

"Well, I am flattered with your faith in me, Fluttershy. Really, I am. I should probably let you know that I'm going to see her soon. Probably tonight, or in a few nights after this, to let everything calm down. She seemed so eager to see me, you know. That cute little thing couldn't wait, she jumped all around when I told her I'd visit her tonight..."

"Did she...?" She tried to keep her eyes open, blinking a few times.

"Oh, yes. She did a wonderful job last night, it was most exciting. Best fun I've ever had in years!"

"I'm... very glad... I hope I can meet her... some... Sometime..."

Discord looked down and gave her a small smile. He quickly moved on to change the subject. "Fluttershy, you poor thing! You really stayed up all night waiting for me, didn't you? I'm sorry about that, I should have mentioned something before leaving, how horrible of me!"

"Oh, no, really, it's... it's alright. I just, wonder, y-you know, about..."

"No, no, shush. I think it's about time we both rest, as I am feeling rather exhausted as well."

"But... But, Discord..." Fluttershy weakly protested as he picked her up in his lion claw.

"Shh, shh. Fine, then. You win. What do you want to tell me?" He raised an eyebrow as she started to nod off. He knew it would be a losing battle for her, anyway. The thought of Miseria, and any other for that matter were about to slip away in three, two, one...

"Just... I just... Don't want you... to... Get in..."

Discord stared at her with interest as he let her stammer herself off to sleep. He held her back from falling with one finger of his eagle claw on her chest, and chuckled through his teeth.

_Safe, Miseria!_ "Pardon me, what was that? My friend, I didn't catch your winning argument. Oh, Fluttershy, you're hopeless, dear." He picked her up and teleported back to the room below them.

Once he put Fluttershy in bed, Discord laid around her like the dragon he partly was, and then closed his eyes to rest with her.

Twilight walked into the room a few minutes later. "Good morning, Fluttershy. Are you here? I just want to let you know that apparently somepony saw Discord on the rooftop not too-" She stopped when she saw Fluttershy and Discord resting in the bed.

She couldn't help feeling a little weirded out by the sight. However, she just smiled and started to back away. "Never mind. You seem to have solved that problem already."

Discord had dreams of Miseria laughing with him in the Everfree Forest. She stood in the middle of the clearing, fully shown, without shadows over her lovely body. They danced once again and practiced all sort of chaotic spells for their amusement.

He sighed and muttering a bit in his sleep, completely unaware of Twilight Sparkle's presence.

Twilight was about to leave the room, but she blinked and stopped when she got another idea. She glanced back at Discord._...I think it's important that I talk to him. Who knows how busy I might be later on. My last attempt obviously didn't work, so... Don't I owe him another chance to try...?_

She quietly walked back and sat in a corner of the room without making any noise. She pulled out a book from the shelf with her magic and looked through it as she waited for Discord to wake up.

She sighed as she continued to debate with herself. _Is it really a good idea, though...? Well... Think about it. If not me, who else? I'm the only pony who knows... But, it would be like betraying Princess Celestia, wouldn't it? Perhaps I was wrong in wanting to help him in the first place. Not with this, it's not my position to do so._ With that thought, she hardened her face into a solemn expression.

Another glance at Discord made her remember how upset he had seemed the night before, and the morning of that same day, not to mention the day before that, when he obnoxiously sought her help at the library.

Her serious face and resolve softened, and she shook her head as she recalled what Fluttershy said when they all showed up at the gala.

_"I'm sure that if anything happened, it can all be forgiven. After all, we're giving Discord a chance."_

Twilight glanced aside, paying attention anywhere but to the book she held in front of her. _I'm not sure about 'anything' being able to be forgiven, Fluttershy... But you're right. We __**are**__ giving Discord a chance. I have to advise him as best as I can manage, for both his and even the Princess' sake. I just have to try harder. Get more into this whole thing. My next step will not fail!_

She nodded with determination and looked back at the book. To her dismay and slight annoyance, it was actually a very romantic novel. She rolled her eyes and groaned slightly. _Great. A review..._

~~~

The servants prepared breakfast at the dining room of the castle.

Prince Modest sat at the table, eating some fruit as he read the _Equestrian Express_. He looked up and set the paper aside as he heard the sisters at the hall.

~~~

Luna looked at Celestia as she followed. "Sister, are you alright? You look really tired... Maybe you should go back to your room and get some rest?"

Celestia quickly shook her head to get the weariness away. _I should have been down here a while ago... I already slept and made the cooks delay breakfast for that..._

"Celestia?"

"Oh, don't worry, Luna, I'll be fine. This is more important, I'll get plenty of rest tonight." She looked at the doors as she opened them to let Luna and herself into the dining room

~~~

She smiled at the prince. "Good morning, Prince Modest."

Luna quickly took her seat and kept her eyes fixed on her plate.

He smiled at them and bowed his head. "Good morning, Your Highnesses." He frowned a bit once he looked at them both. "Um, if I may ask..."

"Of course."

"Is something troubling you, princesses? I do hope it is nothing of my doing."

Celestia shook her head and gave him a small, reassuring smile. "Oh, no, it's not you at all, Prince Modest. I'm simply just a bit tired from last night, that's it." _Let's see, how do I approach the subject...?_

He seemed a bit embarrassed as he looked at her apologetically. "I'm truly sorry for leaving early. I took it upon myself to escort the six Elements of Harmony back to the palace. I should have returned, but exhaustion took the best of me."

"We understand, you really shouldn't worry. We took care of things just fine afterwards."

Modest sighed. "That's a relief. I really don't want to disappoint you, princesses. I will definitely help with everything I can so that you have a peaceful time as well. It's the least you deserve."

Celestia drank some of her tea. "Oh, well, thank you. It's very kind of you." She glanced at the table for a moment, then back at the prince. "Pardon my intrusion, but I would like to ask you something, Prince Modest. Preferably as soon as possible."

Modest nodded, then lifted his own cup of tea with his magic. "Please do not hesitate, Your Grace. You're free to ask me anything you wish."

"I was wondering if you would like to stay in Canterlot for a while, or for as long as you wished, of course." She shook her head and looked at him sheepishly. "Please do not presume that I am only asking you to stay over so that you can assist us with any problem that might arise..."

Modest chuckled. "Of course not."

"While I would appreciate your future help, it isn't the sole reason for my invitation. I just felt like you would probably enjoy a long stay that gives you the chance to get to know our kingdom better, and to learn as much as you can from it, since you became so interested in it."

Luna gave her a surprised look. _She actually dared ask such a thing..._ She remained quiet as she glanced over at Modest from the corner of her eyes.

Modest smiled brightly and nodded. "Why, I would be thrilled, princess!" He bowed his head thankfully. "You do me a great honor with such a marvelous offer. I will send a letter to my counselors right away, they need to know that I'll be taking a bit of time off here in Equestria. I really look forward to it."

Celestia smiled and nodded. "I'm glad you took it so well. We'll be glad to have you as our guest for as long as you wish." She looked up at him as he stood up. "Are you done with breakfast?"

"Yes, thank you so much for everything. With your permission, Your Grace, I must send my ship and escorts back to the Western Kingdom. They would only take up space here otherwise."

Celestia blinked and frowned just slightly. "Are you sure? You don't need to do that, Modest, we'd gladly welcome them here as well."

"Don't worry, Princess, it's okay. They won't mind returning to the kingdom to tend to their duties and families over there. They will return when needed."

"Very well, then. You go ahead and do that." She smiled and looked away once Modest thanked them again, then left the dining room to do his errands.

She looked at Luna and raised an eyebrow when she saw her little sister's curious expression.

Luna fidgeted with her hooves and her plate before she looked up at her. "Um... How long do you think the prince will stay, sister? I-I mean..."

"Heh, heh. I don't know. Perhaps long enough for you to actually say something to him?"

Luna blushed and looked down at the table to play around with her fruit. "S-Sister, that... W-Well-"

"I have my reasons to say that, Luna, don't you deny them."

"Um..."

Celestia glanced down as she finished her tea. "Well... You've been awfully quiet since he arrived at the gala last night. Especially when he's around."

Luna cleared her throat a bit. "I-It's nothing. We're just-I'm just... You know I am shy among new ponies, Celestia, so you don't need to keep bringing it up." She huffed slightly as she ate the last mouthful of fruit.

Celestia giggled a bit, but quickly stifled it with her hoof when Luna gave her a warning look. "Alright, little sister, whatever you say. Regardless, I bet you look forward to Modest's stay, too. Don't you? I mean, wouldn't it be a _wonderful_ opportunity to befriend him? We're all learning about that, aren't we? About the magic of Friendship-"

Luna rolled her eyes at her teasing and lifted the newspaper that Modest had left behind. "Stop it, Celestia."

* * *

Lame title is lame... In fact... I think the whole chapter was practically a bore. Ugh. I can't believe I went through all of this, and-most importantly-put you through it. Honestly, WHAT did I have this for? Oh, yeah, it does serve a minor purpose... You'll get it later.

But, ugh... Sorry if it seemed so dull. But, there you have it! Fluttershy learned of Discord's new friend-somewhat. Discord showed some of his old cockiness and smug attitude-he seems real satisfied to have made Celestia 'jealous'. Or rather, make her worry all night (Discord, you never learn. But we love you for that~).

Celestia invited Modest to stay, so he'll become a guest and constant character in the story for quite a while. This chapter right here perpetuated his role in the story, so I guess it has that importance.

AND, let's not forget Twilight's overplayed dutiful determination to help Discord for his sake and that of her beloved princess teacher. I honestly don't mean to make Twilight sound so repetitive... I liked that little part with the book, thought it was a bit amusing.

I loved all of Fluttershy's parts altogether. Fluttershy, she's one of my favorite characters... So much relation to her... XD

I think the ending needs a bit more work. Suggestions are always appreciated.


	7. Plan for a Princess' Heart

**Plan for A Princess' Heart**

Discord woke up after an hour of sleep. He yawned and stretched himself as he opened his eyes, then said nothing as he spotted Twilight Sparkle in the room.

_...Why is she here? Hmm... Whatever, no matter what she wants or what she says... Fluttershy's the only one I can more or less trust, I gotta remember that... But really, what does Twilight Sparkle want with... me, most likely? She should be sucking up to Celestia, shouldn't she?_

Twilight sighed as she nearly finished the overly romantic novel.

Discord gave the unicorn a dull look as she continued to read without acknowledging his existence. _Talk about an egghead._ He stretched again, then stood up on the bed.

His tail accidentally tapped the lamp on the bedside table, making the smallest noise when it nudged it back a few centimeters.

Twilight grimaced and rubbed her ears. "Ahh." She looked aside at him. "Good, you're awake. Don't do that, you'll wake somepony." She stood up from the pillow where she laid to read and put the book back on the shelf._Talk about an overrated work..._

"You're already done with that?"

"Eh, I'll finish it later." _Not that I look forward to it, really._ "Discord, I have to talk to you. About something... important, most definitely."

He blinked and looked down at Fluttershy, who was still fast asleep. He carefully slipped away from her. "Well, let's talk outside. I don't wish to wake Fluttershy up."

"Alright, let's get going. I've already waited long enough."

Discord sighed and followed her out. He started to feel a bit concerned and anxious about what Twilight might bring up to him. _What on earth does she want now...? Didn't she screw up enough last night?_

Twilight remained silent as they walked down the hall. She stared ahead the whole time, never giving him so much as a glance, even though she knew that attitude only made him even more nervous.

She sighed when they finally got to her own room, which looked more like a study room-a lot like the library in Ponyville. "Okay, we're here-"

"What do you want, Twilight Sparkle? I really don't feel like being in a library... I don't know what you like about them." Discord folded his arms. "What did you want to talk about?"

"It's about you and Princess Celestia. To recap, I learned all about what happened in the past, and I understand what's going on now. Look, I know I may not be the best adviser for these things-"

Discord raised an eyebrow as he looked at her again. "Oh, REALLY? I wonder what brought on that knowledge. Perhaps the horrible fiasco that last night turned out to be?"

She grimaced, then glared at him. "Discord, you have no right to judge me when all I did was try my best with what I was offered in such a short time. _You're_ the one who came to me begging for help in the first place!"

Discord looked aghast after he gasped and backed away from her. "B-Begging?! I was NOT... _begging!_ I would never beg to a nerd like you, Twilight Sparkle! I simply asked a favor of you, in a completely calm and reasonable manner. I was absolutely rational back then-"

"Oh, then that must be why my library nearly went upside-down that day."

"Yes. You see, I'm still not very experienced with rational-that's not the point! The point is you completely failed when you were supposed to help me! Yes! FAILED! F-A-I-"

Twilight rubbed her ears after she growled a little. "Stop it! It's not my fault! I told you it wouldn't be as easy as controlling everything with chaos magic, the princess was bound to be angry at you! And how was I supposed to know that the guest would be a prince and they'd end up dancing together?!"

Discord glared at her, then sighed and turned away. "I don't care about this."

"Wait!" She took a deep breath to compose herself. _Calm down. You have to be calm for this, Twilight. You know that. Stay cool and do what you're supposed to do for him._

_Even if he's an ungrateful brute that won't appreciate it... You're also doing this for the Princess. __**She**__ will certainly appreciate your efforts. You can write her a letter about this later. 'Helping others will not always be easy... But if one tries hard enough-when one knows that it is right to do so, one will always succeed for the better'. Yeah, something like that would be wonderful! Now focus._

"Listen, Discord. I... I really am sorry about that. I really am honest it when I say I didn't mean for things to turn out like they did last night... I-I thought it would be a good chance to show Princess Celestia that you were ready to-"

Discord rolled his eyes as she continued her apology/explanation. He impatiently tapped his eagle claw fingers on his arm without putting much consideration to the unicorn's sincere words of repentance. "Twilight, can you just get to it already?"

She sighed and continued with a calm attitude. "I feel I just... I just _have_ to say something. I could never leave things in a situation like this when I know I can help. And I can, really. You just have to give me another chance, like I will with you."

"Oh, no, no, no-_I_ don't need another chance from-"

"Just stop being so proud, Discord! It won't take you anywhere, and I HAVE to help you!"

"No, you don't, I don't want your help anymore! I asked for it, I received it because I asked for it, there. It's done. You don't need to get involved and screw up more than you did." He looked away from her again.

"I can't just step away from this when I haven't done anything that will be enough, Discord. I _do_ need to get involved with this again, because you're right. I admit it."

She lowered her head in shame and guilt. "I... I failed to help you last night. I really am very sorry that it made you upset, because... I did want to help you. I wanted it to work out... I know how much it meant to you that she gave you-"

"Just let it go already! It's no big deal! Once again you're blowing things out of proportion."

Twilight frowned a bit. "If it hadn't been such a big deal, you wouldn't have stormed off in the first place, Discord. You're not going to lie to me."

Discord blinked, a bit surprised when she stepped closer to him with clear determination. "Ohh... Why won't you just let it go...?!"

"Because I would never, ever give up or turn my back on anypony who needs me-even if that 'anypony' is now you. You should know that. It was one of the things that helped me defeat you."

She felt very weird, beyond explanation. The situation was nuts! Discord, the one and only Lord of Chaos now needed _her_ help. Regardless of how odd, suspicious, and hopeless that sounded... She just couldn't quit on him. She could see that he was in actual need, that the Princess really was very important to him still.

That all had to amount for something helpful. She felt glad that he still had those feelings for Princess Celestia. _It means there really must be some kind of good inside him after all, not just for friendship. That's definitely a good start._

He frowned and summoned one of Twilight's ink bottles. He inspected it for a few seconds as he held it in his claw, then drank from it.

"You know, this thing, that you just started... It's going to make it very awkward for the both of us." He slurped the thick, black liquid to drown her words. _Ugh. She definitely needs to improve her conversation-making skills, and pronto..._

"Hey! Discord, I'm trying to-" She stepped back and trailed off when he leaned closer to her.

"Well, Twilight. What do you _really_ hope to achieve here?" He raised an eyebrow and looked at the ink bottle again, turning the ink into rainbow colors.

"C'mon... I already told you. I want to talk about you and Princess Celestia. I want us to try again."

"Oh, no way. I'd rather just declare it a failed project."

Twilight blushed a little, then shook her head when Discord stamped the word 'FAILED' onto her forehead, with the rainbow ink on the stamper. Luckily for her, the ink actually faded as soon as she moved her head.

"Just listen to me! I think I could..." She approached the subject a bit more carefully. "You know... Give you some advice to approach her in the correct way. But, it would be something better, I promise."

"Somehow I find that hard to-"

She stopped him by raising a quieting hoof on the air. Then she cleared her throat to remind him that it was her turn to speak. "Trust me. I've thought about... Well... The possible... troubling situation. I've approached it from several angles, and am glad to say that I successfully included it in my new, revised plan."

_'Possible troubling situation'?! Ugh, that just sounds so..._ Discord glared aside, feeling utterly annoyed and irritated. He knew she was referring to that goody-two horseshoes prince, the one Celestia had danced with.

Lord Royal What's-His-Pony-Name of Whatever-the-Fancy-Lands-Are that he did not give care about at all.

He stared at her for a seconds, then chuckled and waved his paw dismissively. "Oh, Twilight, your sense of humor is simply naive."

"Well, I actually-"

He teleported behind her. "If Celestia does not care, why would you assume that _I_ care? It's a thing of the past now. The way I acted in your library earlier, it happened and can be forgotten, left behind. I will ask you to simply dismiss that. Forget it ever happened, leave it alone; out of your mind, where it belongs." He spoke with false apathy as he tried to lead her away from the touchy subject.

Twilight sighed and gave him an annoyed look. _Really, Discord? You're actually doing this? Oh, I can't believe it..._ She shook her head and started to think of her next moves, her strategies.

He'd donned his attitude again. That annoying 'I don't care, it's petty, I'm not thinking about it' mixed with 'hey! Let's pretend it never happened!' A thoroughly intolerable combination that would annihilate just about anypony's nerves to their very ends.

_And here I thought we were actually making progress..._ She raised her head and gave him a 'duh' look.

"Because of how upset you got when you saw her dancing with Prince Modest last night?" She turned around when he tried to stammer out a response to her comment. "Look. I'm no Fluttershy, _Wilder_-no offense to her. But, she's just not in on the things that I am, the way that I am."

_Oh, blast that Celestia to her little heavens. Now this unicorn brainiac __**thinks**__ she's smart enough to lecture me. How patronizing._

"I know what happened, and am nearly certain of what is still happening now."

"Well-"

"I know that 'stage fright' thing you talked to Fluttershy about at the beginning of the gala was because you were afraid that Princess Celestia would reject you in public."

"Not that, it-"

"I could see it the moment I returned to Fluttershy's home with the princess' reply."

"But what did-"

She gave him a dull look again. "And it didn't take Starswirl the Bearded to figure out you were just terrified of going. What tipped everypony off was when you hid under Fluttershy's cottage."

Discord blushed slightly, though he tried to hide it as he muttered an excuse. "I wasn't _hiding,_ I was meditating."

"Oh, really? A pretty interesting way to 'meditate' if you ask me."

"It was a stressful event that I had to get out of my system! It's been more than a thousand years since I went to a party like that-until last night. As you saw, Twilight Sparkle, it didn't end well."

"Well, but that doesn't take away the fact that-"

Discord scoffed and leaned back in the air. "So who says I was 'hiding'? Who says it was because I'm scared of her, or whatever? Please, you've really begun to underestimate me."

"I'm not dumb, Discord. I can't be. Not with all that I know."

_Annoying, bothersome little pony pest... I really should have turned her into glitter-not scissors-when I had the chance. She would've looked and sounded much better blown all over Fluttershy's pond._

She sat down and stared right at him, even when he mentally regretted not using his magic on her. She took a deep breath to keep her voice firm. _You know what they say... 'Knowledge is power'. Well, time to wield this humongous 'power' that the Princess has bestowed on me for good!_

Discord raised an eyebrow. "What? Listen, we're done here. I don't want to talk about this anymore, it's doing horrible things to my patience."

"I could stay here for a little while longer, you know. I still have a bit more patience left..."

"Are you kidding? Fine, I'm-"

Twilight smiled a little as she turned around. "Buuut, if you're not interested in how I can help you get back with the Princess, then I guess I best be going, huh. You consider it a 'failed project'. Maybe you're right. Maybe there is nothing to do for it, like you say. I'm just here being silly, getting my hopes up, wasting your time. It's not even worth it."

"Now, wait, that's not what I-"

"I should busy myself with something better, something that won't waste any more time! Plenty of stuff in Canterlot for me to do. I'm sure you'll also find something that will really be worthwhile. I mean, really, what's in a relationship, right? With Princess Celestia, who cares? See ya later, _Wilder._" She grinned a bit as she glanced back without turning her head.

"Wilder..." Discord looked down, suddenly feeling nostalgic. "It's been so long since she called me that..." He frowned as he noticed what was happening. _Now she's trying to manipulate me. Again. Well, that pony's got another thing coming-who does she think I am?_ He folded his arms and gave her a glare.

Twilight looked up innocently as she grabbed the doorknob with her hoof. "Okay, then, I'm going~"

"Ugh, FINE!" He appeared in front of her to block her way. "How are you NOT going to fail like you did last night?! It better be good, Twilight!"

"Well, that wasn't really my fault to begin with-"

"How do you plan to fix a long-forgotten bond that's been shattered for hundreds of years?!" He snapped, holding his claw and paw at his hips as he floated above her once she turned around to face her bookshelf.

She smiled and held in a giggle, proud of the result of her little reverse psychology display. _Yes! I knew that would work! Even on Discord, this is great..._

She turned to face him and spoke with complete ease. "With subtle approach. Not to mention you'll have to be _extremely_ humble-completely aware of your wrongdoings, and repentant of them. I'm sure Princess Luna will tell you the same thing when she advises you. You know... Once you make up with her, and manage to get her friendship as it was all that time ago. THAT won't be easy, either."

Discord sighed and scratched his head. "Hmm. Well, this all sounds like rubbish to me. But... I suppose an egghead pony like you could know a thing or two about this after all. If you really put your mind to it, now." He gave Twilight a noogie and messed up her mane.

Twilight tried to pull away from him. "I'm not an egghead! You keep this up, Discord, and Applejack will know exactly how to deal with you!" She sighed and shook her head. "You have to learn to be honest, first off all."

"Of course the egghead would say to be honest."

"Discord, I'm NOT an egghead!"

He rolled his eyes and smirked. "That's what they all say." He floated to the door, still carrying Twilight in his arms. "I suppose we're going off to see Applejack, then?"

"That's right. She's just about the most honest pony that you and I both know. She'll teach you more than a thing or two on the subject."

"Ugh... I can't wait to _not_ get started with all of this... Or at the very least be over it. Seriously, it's already annoying, and we haven't even started it."

Twilight shook her head at his impatience. Then she blinked when a curious thought crossed her mind. "By the way, what WERE you doing last night? You _were_ in the Everfree Forest last night... Weren't you?"

"Oh... Just had a... private, party. You know." He put on a lying expression by pressing his lips together while looking up.

She sighed and slapped her forehead with her hoof. "Urgh. This isn't going to work. I'm not buying it. Discord, I said honest!" _If he can't answer a little question truthfully, then..._

"But I'm not lying, Twilight Sparkle." He jumped on her bed after he dropped her.

"What? Hey! We-"

"I _was_ at a private party last night, in the forest, if you must know. A good party with plenty of dancing, cider, and music. And of course, the company..." He chuckled again, unable to help himself.

_'Company'? Okay, that might just bring about some other suspect..._ She watched him jump around with a confused expression. "But... With whom?"

Discord gave her a grin after he stopped his jumping to answer her. "Twilight, it's rude to intrude in somepony else's privacy. Didn't they ever teach you that? I'm baffled." He continued to bounce on the bed after he laughed joyously.

Twilight rolled her eyes and groaned. "Fine... Let's go, then, Mr. Happiness. You've got a princess to try to win back." She looked back at him after she walked towards the door again.

After seeing the draconequus anxiously step down from the bed to follow her, Twilight couldn't help smiling a little. _He really does care, I knew it. One step, plenty more down the staircase to go..._

* * *

Modest returned to the palace after he dismissed his troops and gave them instructions for his own kingdom. As he walked back to his room, he turned a corner without paying much mind, and bumped noses with a dark blue mare that also turned the same way, in the opposite direction.

Luna blinked, then gasped once she noticed it was the prince she had bumped into. "I-I'm sorry, Prince Modest! Pl-Please forgive me, I didn't see where I was going-" She spoke quickly from the nerves, taking quite a few steps back as she did.

He smiled as he looked at her. "Oh, my... Princess Luna... I didn't see you there." He let out a short laugh. "Sorry about that, I should have been more careful."

She quickly looked away from his smile and shook her head to try to compose herself. "I-It's fine. It's no problem, Prince, I'm alright. It was my bad." She looked down at the floor and tried to walk past him.

He also tried to move out of her way but kept stepping into her direction by accident.

She blushed slightly once the third attempt failed. "I-I'm sorry."

Modest stepped aside to let the Princess pass. He was still smiling, though blushing a bit as well. "Heh. Do go on, princess. I'm sorry about this, must be the clumsiness of the morning."

Luna nodded. "Th-Thank you." She walked down the hallway without looking back at him.

Celestia chuckled a bit as she approached Modest. "You'll have to excuse her. She is rather... shy."

Modest watched Luna leave for a bit longer before he turned back to the Sun Princess. "I understand, Your Highness. I do not wish to disturb Princess Luna, if that makes her feel better."

"Oh, you're very kind. I'm sure she'll warm up to you a bit more during your stay here, Prince. After all, you seem like a really nice fellow. I knew it the moment I saw you."

"Really, I am honored."

"In fact, I'm sure you are a very good gentlecolt. The Western Kingdom is lucky to have you as a ruler. Now we are lucky to have you as a guest." She walked with him, heading to the throne room. "You'll find there are very interesting and fun things to do here in Equestria. Everywhere, not just in the city of Canterlot. It would be my pleasure to recommend you to Ponyville, where the Elements of Harmony live."

"Yes, Pinkie Pie already mentioned the town. It sounds lovely."

"Are you sure your guards will be alright on the way back home?"

"They sure will. Please don't worry about them." He smiled at Celestia and bowed his head slightly. "I want to thank you for spending this time with me, Princess. It sure means a lot to be able to talk more about your kingdom. I can't wait to go out there and explore further."

She chuckled. "Really?"

"However... I fear that something is being kept from me. The invitation is mostly gratified, I assure you... Yet it came so suddenly. I was only supposed to attend the gala, but now, as you see..."

"Are you still worried, Prince Modest? Perhaps I didn't make it very clear earlier-"

"Oh, Princess, don't worry, I know you do not wish to just use me. Thank you for your courteous gift, really, but... What exactly is it that's lurking about your lands?"

"Um..."

"You don't have to answer, Princess..."

Celestia sighed and glanced aside as she spoke. "Truth be told... I don't know myself. We are still investigating as well as we can. But we haven't found anything so far. I don't want to alarm anypony, since nothing harmful has occurred yet, but I don't want to wait until something bad happens, either. Prince Modest, I am getting prepared for something bad. After all, this kingdom has gotten quite some excitement as of late. I hope you understand."

"Of course I do. Your welcome and invitation were much appreciated, I do plan to return the great favor that you did for me."

"That's very good. In that case, we'll be able to get further. I was thinking..." She looked up and smiled as he walked closer to her. "Do you already have some ideas?"

"If you'll permit me, I plan to send some of the Royal Guard to ask to the guests, at least some of them. I understand that we can't draw too much attention, but we need to get information, right? Maybe some of the guests that remained outside during the gala noticed something strange around the forest, before the spell was cast. Don't worry, I would not press them too much."

"That seems like a good idea. I'm sure they will be glad to cooperate. I have to meet with the Royal Council, deal with more measures to handle all of this. Rumor is spreading quick."

"Yes, I've already heard. Do you mind if I accompany you?"

"Of course not, it would be my pleasure. I do plan to let you learn all of Equestria's ways, you know. Political meetings will be the least excluded, now that we're facing a possible hardship."

Modest smiled as they turned around another corner, once they reached the throne room. "Very well. I promise that you and your kingdom can count on my assistance at any time. I'll help you investigate, too."

"You'll be as helpful as you will be liked in Equestria, Prince Modest, I assure you." She smiled at him and chuckled as they continued to walk through the palace together, engaging in a good conversation on their way to the meeting room.

* * *

Hm... Once again, I thought the second part of this chapter could have used a bit... More. I mean, the plot regarding Modest is coming off a bit short, don't you guys think? Maybe I should put more interaction, more into the conversation, it sounded a bit redundant (I also got the feeling the royals could be talking about more... casual things in their conversation, but I guess that's what the 'conversation' mentioned in the end would feature).

I really enjoyed Modest, but I think he's starting off a bit simple. Needs more character development, and in order to give him that, I need to make him appear more often, in more casual scenes. I have this feeling that he seems a bit too... 'unreachable', still. I don't know if you guys get that.

I always thoroughly enjoy Twilight and Discord's conversations. Or the conversations with Discord and any of the Mane Six altogether. Very humorous. That top part is what really sold the chapter. The bottom I still do believe needs a bit of work (need to focus more and produce finished edits sooner/faster).

I'm very satisfied with how both Discord and Twilight came out. As always, kept them in impeccable character, right? What I liked best about this scene is that I made Discord anxious about his history with Celestia. He keeps trying to avoid it, but it just keeps coming back to haunt him, regardless of how much he wants to keep it in the downlow.

Meanwhile, Celestia and Modest are becoming closer friends! Ooh, Twilight, you better speed up your plan a bit more...


	8. Apple Lessons

**Apple Lessons**

Discord had managed to delay his 'Honesty training' for a few days, until Twilight drew the line and scolded him into shape. He would not get off the hook with her, not after she had worked so hard to plan things carefully for the future of the draconequus and Princess Celestia.

"We're going with Applejack and that's final, Discord!" Twilight spoke with a firm voice as she walked out of the Canterlot Castle. She had a determined frown on her face that Discord just would not be able to talk off.

Discord let out a long sigh and fell on the air to float on his back. _Perhaps throwing a tantrum will-_

"Let's get moving now. We don't have all day. I want to get this over with as soon as possible. No more delays, you hear? I'm going to help you, but I won't be at your beck and call."

He groaned and grumbled a bit before he floated beside her. "And where _is_ Applejack, anyway?" He glanced around as they went down the path that would take them to the edge of the city.

"Most likely helping with the landscape or stuff like that. She might even have gone back to Ponyville, I wouldn't be surprised. She always has such busy days. That's why we're going to go there, alright? If you'd be kind enough to help with the quick transportation..."

Discord raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"As in, teleport us to Ponyville? I don't want to stretch this out more than you already did, remember?"

"Ohhh... How boring. Working as always, that pony never gets a rest! Even though she must know excessive work is terrible for one's fun complexion. You actually expect me to learn anything from _her?_" He snapped his fingers and teleported them to Ponyville, right at Sweet Apple Acres.

"Why, yes. Yes I do. You'll see once this is over, Discord. It'll all be worth it." _I'm sure of it, for our sakes._

Applejack looked up at them as she carried a barrel full of apples on her back. "Hiya, Twi." She gave her a big, welcoming smile once she made her way over to them for greeting.

"Oh, good morning, Applejack. Good to find you here so early."

Applejack chuckled and stood in front of the barn proudly. "Well, that's me, you know. Bright an' early's what we do." She looked over at Discord and couldn't help but shrink slightly as immediately became uncomfortable. "What a... nice surprise to see ya too, Discord."

The apples in the barrel turned into water. Discord pulled himself out of it to greet her. "Why, hello. Don't mind me at all. It's just me going for a swim here in the barrel. Care to join?"

Applejack glanced over her shoulder and gave him an uneasy look before she turned back to Twilight and spoke in a worried tone. "A-Alright, Twilight. What're y'all up to now?" She fidgeted with her hooves a bit.

"I need to ask a favor of you, Applejack. You see, Discord here needs to learn a thing or two about honesty, in order to get..." She glanced at Discord with a warning look. "Something _important_ done."

"Um... Really?" Applejack jumped a bit as loud streamers popped out of the barrel. _Mighty apple hilltop, that coulda been Pinkie..._ She looked away from the barrel to hold in the temptation of looking over it.

"Indeed. Honesty is the subject for today, and..." Twilight smiled at her and lifted her hoof as she spoke with a calm voice. "I think we've come to the right pony for that."

"Discord? Honest?" Applejack grimaced as she watched Discord while he made a bunch of assortments jump out from what was originally a simple barrel with apples. "Uh... Right..."

He laughed from within the barrel, seemingly unaware of the conversation outside. There was a snapping sound from inside, and his containment rolled onto the floor as though it was laughing itself.

Applejack leaned closer to Twilight to whisper to her. "Um... No offense, Twi, but Ah think it was much, much easier for Discord and his weird magic to turn us into our opposite selves than for _him_ to become even close to anything like an Element. Not to mention how imposs'ble it would be for _me_ to actually do anythin' crazy like-like teach Discord all about-"

"Well, it's worth a try. Fluttershy managed to reform him, right? That was one of the hardest tasks yet, in my opinion. Anything that comes after Fluttershy's task shouldn't be so hard."

"But-"

"Besides, this is one of the things that he'll need to do anyway, to truly fit in with our society. Like Fluttershy said, we have to help him fit in, and we will. He's more than willing to try to do everything we say." Twilight tapped the barrel as she looked at it. "Aren't you, Discord?"

He floated out of the barrel and sat in the air above the mares. "Well... About that..."

Twilight raised an eyebrow at him. "_Aren't_ you?"

He rolled his eyes with a displeased expression and shrugged. "Twilight convinced me that it _was_ worth the try, for... for something personal." He blew a raspberry after he muttered his agreement.

Twilight nodded reassuringly. "Like I said, there can't be any kind of relationship without trust."

Applejack immediately smiled upon the mention of one of her beliefs. "Ah couldn't agree more. Lies at any given time _can_ get to anypony." She stepped closer to Twilight and nodded. "Ah'll try to do my best with him, Twi. Though... Ah don't guarantee we'll be gettin' much out of it."

She grimaced again when Discord continued to play at the side.

"I'll be satisfied with just enough. And I know that certain somepony will be glad with even that small change, too." Twilight glanced at Discord again, then winked at him with a small smile.

"Hm... 'Special somepony'? Y'all mean Fluttershy? She certainly would like her friend to get even better at this 'reform' thing all on his own, wouldn't she?"

Twilight held in a giggle with her hoof as Discord glanced aside and fidgeted with his claw and paw.

"Ehm... Yeah, Fluttershy, sure..." _Why do I keep putting myself in this position? Completely humiliating, it's what this is. I don't deserve it! Asking me that kind of thing..._

Twilight gave him a bit of a look once she heard him lie. "Discord..."

He returned the look to her. "I can't help it if you put me on the spot like that, Twilight." He then sighed and raised an eyebrow as he stared at both of them. "Anyway, how exactly are we going to 'test' my honesty?"

"Well, uh..." Applejack glanced at Twilight, then sighed when her friend did not provide an answer. "Ah guess that's something Ah'll have to come up with."

Twilight smiled once Applejack fully agreed to assist them. She turned around just as Discord began to mildly annoy the farmer earth pony. "I'll see you both later, then."

"W-wait, hold on a second now. You're already leaving, Twi?!"

"Yep. There's some stuff that I need to do back at the library, but I'll be sure to come around later to check on you. Everything should be fine until the afternoon when I come, though."

"But listen here, sugarcube. Ah actually don't think Ah can-"

Twilight patted her shoulder. "I'm sure that everypony will do just fine. He'll be sure to not give you such a hard time. I've already talked to him. I know you can handle this and will make Discord learn all he needs for his future task. After all, you're our most dependable pony. Right, Applejack?"

Applejack looked down before taking a deep breath. "...Sure, Ah guess, Twi. You're right. Whatever it is, you can definitely count on me." She gave Twilight a small smile. "Ah won't disappoint y'all."

"Oh, I knew I could count on you like always! Good luck, you two!" Twilight hugged Applejack, then gave them one last encouraging smile and a wave before she teleported away.

"..." Applejack glanced at Discord with a doubtful face.

The draconequus had switched his front and back legs, so that now he was folding his lizard and goat legs over his chest. He raised an eyebrow and shrugged when he looked down at her. "What?"

"Gosh, Ah do reckon this is gonna be one of the hardest things Ah've done gotten into." She lowered her hat a bit to express her distress. _Harder'n ropin' a herd of wild buffalo..._

Discord turned his limbs back to their normal order, then appeared next to her, standing on all fours. "Come now, Applejack. Surely we don't want to disappoint Fluttershy and Twilight by failing to make me a better citizen, do we? It's your Honesty lessons alone that will do... some of the trick. According to Twilight, anyway."

She groaned a bit and shook her head at Discord's persuasion. "Ahh, fine..."

After looking around to gather her thoughts, she became somewhat sure of what the next step to take would be to begin their 'lessons'. "Ah guess we better start with me, then. Always start teachin' something by settin' a good example."

Though she talked and walked with him, Applejack continued to do her work bucking and packing the apples in the farm. She did not grow distracted even as she started to set rules for their exercises.

"Listen, from now on, till our little... sessions, are over... Y'all can ask me anythin'."

Applejack nodded and approached another tree. "Yep. Anythin' at all that strikes your fancy. Ah'll never fail to tell ya the truth, no matter how difficult or embarrassin' a question it is."

He didn't seem so convinced about such good an offer. It seemed too great to be part of his boring lessons. _There has to be a catch. What's the point of it all, when she can just cheat and not have me-_

Discord scratched his head, a bit surprised with her sharp thinking. "Uh..."

"Well, sir, let me tell you, Ah _won't_ refuse to answer anythin', 'cause that would be cheatin' and Ah don't take kind to that either."

"But why would you refuse to answer? It's quite alright, isn't it? It's just a way around something that you don't want to be dishonest about. Isn't that what you do?"

"No siree, that ain't what I do."

He tapped his lizard foot on the ground and folded his arms again as he watched her. "Well, do explain why you'd refuse, then. It's annoying and it's making me impatient."

"Well... That's easy." Applejack measured another kick for the next tree, then grunted as she gave it a good buck, then collected the fallen apples. "It's 'cause Ah want you to get a good feeling of what pure honesty's like. Honesty that stays straight and clear through thick and thin, through good an' bad."

"Well, if you want to take that approach, Applejack..."

"Yeah, I wanna take this approach."

"Okay, then... I certainly won't stop you. In fact, I can't wait to get started! I bet it'll be very interesting..." He rubbed his claw and paw together and smiled a little.

"So go ahead an' shoot, Discord. Do your worst whenever you want to."

"Hmm..." He grinned at Applejack when he finished thinking. "Is it true that you and Rainbow Dash are an item?" He stifled a laugh as he watched her surprised, wide-eyed reaction. _Let's see if she really is as much game as she says, once a little pressure's on..._

"What the-wait-who in Equestria says somethin' silly an' crazy like that?!" Her face and the tips of her ears blushed a bright red as she blurted out her exclamation.

Her flustered stammer only made Discord laugh louder, to the point where he rolled in the air.

"Oh, no..." She took a deep breath to compose herself. _Easy, Applejack. Easy, girl. Y'all knew this was gonna be hard. Didn't think it was gonna be __**this**__ hard, but hard nonetheless._ She faced the apple trees to continue her work. _Nothin' a bit of labor can't help an' tune out._

"Well? I'm waiting~"

_Okay, maybe it'll take more than just a bit of labor._ "No. Answer is no. That absolutely ain't true, not at all-y'all do know that!" She huffed a bit and glared at the ground as he continued to laugh at her expense.

She already regretted having given Discord the additional power of truth-bound interrogation. As if the ability to bend reality wasn't enough...

But, oh well... Horse apples and all... It wasn't like she could take it back.

_Ah've already done set the rules, so Ah can't break them. That would be cheatin' and I'm not havin' it._

She gave Discord an annoyed look once she stopped to turn to his direction again. "...Y'all are _really_ gonna hand it to me in this exercise, ain't ya?"

"In all honesty..." He booped her nose with his finger. "YES!" He laughed again, then tapped his fingers together and cleared his throat for another question.

"Discord-"

"Is is true that Big Mac has a doll of Twilight Sparkle's and plays with it?"

"I... Oh, gee, Ah dunno. Ah think he might have it..." She looked looked over her shoulder to check if Big MacIntosh was around. "Ah've seen 'im run off to the barn every so often. Ah once heard Twilight talk about how she was missin' some 'Mr. Smarty-Pants' or somethin', but Ah'm not so sure 'bout it all..."

Discord folded his arms and smiled with satisfaction. He was thoroughly enjoying Applejack's truthful answers and would not give up his entertainment for anything anytime soon. "Do go on..."

Applejack sighed and rolled her eyes as she quietly continued to speak about Big Mac's secret toy. "My lil' sister 'Gabby Gums', also published somethin' about that some time ago, but Ah didn't follow into it. Ah didn't wanna impose on my brother's privacy more'n it already had been imposed on, y'see."

"Well, that doesn't give out much details, does it? We'll have to find out for good one of these days..."

She shook her head and looked at him again, lifting her hoof to get his attention back. "Listen, Discord-Ah didn't let you have this chance so you'd just-"

"Is it true that Spike once tried to kiss you?" He laid on the base of a tree to eat an apple.

"Oh, no, no, that ain't true, either. He didn't really try to kiss _me_. Little dragon was daydreaming' about somepony else; Rarity, most likely. He-"

"How would you feel if I told you that little Apple Bloom's talent has absolutely nothing to do with apples?"

"...Ah'd feel a bit strange, Ah guess. Apples have done been in the family business since... Well, since the family started. Listen here, Discord; these questions may be funny to you, but they're pointless and they're teachin' you nothin'. How about we just drop it an'..."

"Is it true that you were once caught snoozing on the job during a very important time of the apple harvest? For example... Cider Season?"

"What?! Of course not-"

"Did you ever give the foals at Ponyville a hard time after you came back from Manehattan?"

"Did Ah what?!"

"You know, when you got your cutie mark and everything. You spent quite some time in upper-class society after all, right? Maybe the Oranges got to you and you learned some snobbish little things..."

"No! Oh, hay no, Ah'd never do that to any-"

"Won all sorts of places in that Equestria Rodeo Competition, didn't you?"

"Well..."

"Every place _but_ first?"

Applejack's ears lowered as she glanced aside uncomfortably. "Um, Ah don't see-"

"So you ran away to Cherry Jubilee's cherry farm, didn't you? Pride was too big for you to handle?"

She grimaced a bit and nervously shifted in her hooves. "Well... Y-Yes? But I-"

"Have you been with a stallion yet? Gone out with a stallion? Or perhaps a mare, since the rumors of you and Rarity spread like wildfire..." He snapped his fingers to appear laying down on the branch of a tree.

"What rumors?! Discord, Ah ain't ever been with anypony that way! Now listen up, y'all are gettin' way too far with these questions, and Ah've got plenty of work to do!"

He chuckled as he watched her set the baskets of apples down. "Ooh... Losing your temper already?"

"Gettin' on my nerves, this is. Y'all better keep movin' along, mister!" She bucked the tree that he was perched on and caught the apples while making him fall.

He landed on the ground and turned into a puddle of himself. He recovered his form and laughed joyously while she glared at him. "My, you sure have an attitude."

"Oh, y'all haven't seen the half of it!"

He dusted himself off and gave her a calm look. "Well, Applejack, I've learned so much today. The questions may have been a tad personal, but you answered all of them so honestly... I actually think I'm getting the hang of this rather well, and all thanks to you."

"Are you?" She sighed and calmed down as he quickly nodded his head. "Well... The whole 'truth-to-question' thing is still on me... It'll be for as long as we do this, Ah said..."

Discord grinned with anticipation. "Oh, that's just lovel-"

Her deadpan look and raised hoof stopped him from snapping into troublesome and mischievous action. "It's not meant to be abused, Discord."

He raised his paw and put on a solemn face. "I give you my word, Applejack."

_Which Ah plain don't believe an' trust, really..._ She picked up the baskets to move forward. "Ah want us to try somethin' else now, if y'all don't mind."

She led him away from the trees, to patches of land in the field that needed to be planted and more trees with apples that needed to be picked.

"While we're on our way... Why don't we get you started on the truth-to-question game?" She smirked and looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

He returned the smile with a confident-if not cocky-expression. "Very well. Shoot when ready."

"Alright, then. Let's see... You got a thing for Fluttershy?"

"She _is_ a cute mare... But no. I don't. See, we're just friends. Let's also consider that she is much, much younger than I am. I don't go for that, you know." He had no trouble with the question, and even smirked a bit at his 'humorous' answer.

"Okay, how 'bout anypony else? Twilight did mention there was a _certain_ somepony..." She chuckled quietly, then shoved another tree with her side.

Discord sighed and scratched his head as he frowned. "...Well... Yes... There is somepony else... Or was... I don't know, I'm afraid that ship sank. I don't want to talk about it."

"That so. That's why you wanna try an' fix things. Real nice of you it is. Feel like sayin' her name?" She glanced at him and chuckled at his flustered expression. "Hm?"

"W-Well, um... I... Is this one of the questions? I-I'm not sure it... It doesn't even-"

She laughed and waved a hoof to settle him down. "Whoa, there. Calm down, sugarcube, that you don't have to answer. But go ahead and think hard about _this_, now." She looked at the basket that she almost filled with the red, ripe apples.

He glanced at her as she walked forward. "About what...?"

"Do y'all _really_ think it's hopeless? Or... Do y'all still have a little glimmer of hope in there, somewhere? A glimmer of little hope that wishes for things to work out for you two? Surely that's the right thing that goes an' gives you the little faith?"

She pulled out a rope, testing its strength while she let Discord process her words and questions. "Isn't there something? Oh, surely there must be. Why are y'all here if you don't think there's still hope?"

Discord glanced down at the ground while he thought. "Perhaps... There might be... something... Things might work... It's something worth giving a try." He smiled a little and looked at her.

"Atta boy. That's all there is for you to know, then. Where there's a will, there's a way, Ah always say. And boy, will we be seeing a lot of will in no time! Especially from you." She spun the rope, then threw it on the handle of the barn door to pull it open.

Discord raised an eyebrow as she watched her tie the rope around the handle. "Hm...?"

"Here, pull on this and open it, pal. Let's get you started in your worthwhile work." She walked over to the door after she gave him the rope.

He simply lifted his eagle claw finger and made the door opened quickly. "There, that wasn't so hard."

Applejack moved away so the swinging door wouldn't hit her. _...This might be a mite harder than Ah thought. But no worries._She smirked with a determined expression and pushed her hat down on her head. _That's what we Apples are used to. We can handle any wild fella._

She walked into the barn, careful to avoid the animals that wandered around her. "Gee, Ah gotta tell Apple Bloom to come give this place a little cleanin'... Be right out, Discord! Gotta get somethin' from here!"

"Alright, you go ahead and take your time..." He smiled mischievously as he looked down at the playful, happy brown-and-white dog that pranced over to the open barn. _I wonder what it would like as a hen..._

"Don't y'all go gettin' any ideas with my Winona, Discord! That's if y'all know what's good for you! You go an' leave my girl alone, ya hear?"

Discord groaned in annoyance and opted for floating out of Winona's reach. "Oh, don't worry! I'm not doing anything to the barking furball, she's alright!"

Applejack's voice could still be heard as she strained with something while still inside the red 'oversized chicken coop' (according to Discord). "Now, we always... ngh, have Big Mac handle this babe..."

She grunted as she pulled the plow out with plenty of effort. She heaved it towards Discord, then set it down before them with a loud noise. "Ahh! There we go!"

Discord slightly backed away for a brief second after the large tool fell on the ground with graceless and unpleasant preposition. "O-kay..."

Applejack dusted herself, then smiled at him while she pushed her hat back. "Ah think we'll go and make a nice, honored exception since y'all are here."

He walked around the plow and eyed it curiously. "Hmm... And what, pray-tell, is this, Applejack?"

"A _plow_, that's what it is. You break up the ground with it so that seeds can be planted an' grown. See that field yonder?" She pointed to the bare field in front of them.

"I see it." He gave her an unimpressed look. "What about it?"

"Well, it's plantin' season. We need to get movin' and workin' over there. That's what you're gonna help me do with this babe here." She patted the plow with a tender smile on her face before she glanced at Discord. "And... Good measure on ya, too. It'll fit just nicely."

"Oh, n-no, no, you don't really expect me to-"

"Ah sure do expect you to."

"But-not with _that!_ I'm not going to break my back with some medieval, brute-"

"Oh, stop it, Discord, it won't help any. Complaints will only get you an empty stomach here. Okay, now... Ah reckon that if ya keep it up good an' steady, ya'll are gonna be done with the work in a few hours."

"Hours?! Applejack, you're hopeless! Why bother with all that when this can be done in seconds?!" He snapped his fingers to magically appear many plows on the field.

They rushed rapidly over the earth and formed the lines. He snapped his fingers again and watched as trees of spectacular colors and shapes rose from the field. Within seconds, they gave all sorts of odd apples and other fruit of his own creation.

"There! Months of hard work finished in an instant. Isn't it much easier and convenient like that?"

She raised an eyebrow as she stared at the bizarre, grown field. "Uh..." Then she quickly shook her head and give him a look. "You ain't gettin' the point of this, Discord."

"Oh, I'm not? I think it looks wonderful like this, and it'll be as good as that boring field that would have taken months to finish and harvest."

Applejack shifted uncomfortably. "Well, it sure does look... uh, _colorful_. But, y'see..."

She sighed as she tried to find a good way to explain. "Sometimes it's the things that are _worthwhile_ that take the most effort an' time to accomplish and finish with good results."

She plucked an apple from the tree beside her with her tail to show it to Discord. "Like a good, well-cared for apple." She rubbed the apple on her side and tossed it into Discord's claw. "That's what we give everypony here, you see. Our best and most dedicated hard work."

"And tell me, what about exhausting labor feels good for you folks? Tiring yourselves day in and day out to deliver apples... What's so great about it? Why is it right for you?"

She had no problem answering the question with proud simplicity. "It feels right 'cause we know that in our apples is our honest-to-goodness effort, labor, quality an' care. Our very best."

_Well, everything that has to do with apples is perfect for you... Apples aren't a good analogy-you always think they're perfect._ Discord scratched his head as he stared at the delicious looking, yet ordinary fruit.

"That's what Ah want you to give to whatever it is y'all are tryin' to fix. Your trust, honesty an' effort." She sighed and patiently walked Discord's created crops.

"Ah want you to learn _truth_ from this, not lazy shortcuts. And what better way for you or anypony else to learn about honesty..." She grunted as she pulled the plow down to another field. "Than with an honest... productive... day... of labor!"

She set the plow down again and sighed when they finally got to the field. Then she looked up at him again. "This is what we're gonna give a try to. You're gonna take this plow and start over with this bare field here."

Discord grimaced a bit as he stared at the large, empty field that needed major work dedicated to it. Work that, in all honesty... He did not want to take the slightest part on. He glanced at Applejack as she continued to explain his dreadful assignment. "Plow it an' do your very best. Ah ain't gonna fuss about the details, Ah ain't no Rarity. It's the thought an' effort that counts here. Ah just want you to give it a try, an' to do it all, no matter how it turns out."

She got the plow ready as Discord grumbled. "Oh, and another thing, Discord."

"Ohh... What now, Applejack?"

"Here's one more rule Ah'll mention 'fore Ah leave ya to it. It's a rule ya might know all too well."

"Alright, spit it out. What is it?"

She smirked and sat down with a smug look on her face. "Heh... This'll be good. No wings, no magic. An' everypony mus' play their fair-and-square part or it's game over."

He let out more grumbled whispers as he put the plow on. "Using my own jokes on me..."

He pulled the heavy tool as he walked through the field. His struggles made him pant and sweat as his legs pulled with all their might. He did not even have the strength or focus to pull and think up complaints at the same time, so he simply concentrated on pulling the darn thing through the blasted field.

While he did his best to work, Applejack hoisted a wagon onto her back and pulled it along. The small two-wheeled wagon had a load with baskets, some already full with apples.

"You know what, Discord?"

"Ngh... Wha... What...?!"

"Ah want you to have a little something in mind, for good motivation."

Discord rolled his eyes once he stopped to catch his breath. _Oh, joy. How considerate..._

Applejack walked closer to him and smiled. "Everytime ya feel like cheatin' and usin' your magic-and Ah know for _sure_ you will- go on ahead an' remember this-a good time that y'all had during your life."

He gave her a questioning look that she only nodded to before she continued with her explanation.

"Some good, happy time you've had with Fluttershy so far, or anything nice y'all may have done before bein' turned to stone for the first time." She nudged him a bit. "Perhaps even think about your special sweetheart, sugarcube. Do that whenever ya feel like twisting it a notch on the deal we done made. Boy, ya'll tell me if it doesn't make you actually wanna keep it straight and honest."

"Well... It's just memories, how would they...?"

Applejack dusted her hat and put it back on her head after she winked at him. "Reward yourself with that, too, whenever you accomplish a new bit an' piece. Every foot y'all get done is all gonna be worth it." She patted his shoulder, then walked over to the apple trees that still needed to be bucked.

~~~

Hours passed, the sun was almost setting. Though Discord had been tempted several times to cheat, he instead resigned himself to follow Applejack's advice.

He remembered when Fluttershy befriended him and his first game with Luna... But the most motivating memory was of Celestia and her laughter, which he treasured the most.

He even blushed when he thought of the Princess and her joyous smile, of the happiness that she graced him with so many years ago. All of that gave him the energy to follow through.

Everything seemed a bit easier to do when he remembered the first kiss that they shared the night that he questioned his existence out loud to her. He did not mind the weight of the plow, or the pain of the pulling, or how big the fields appeared with his seemingly insignificant pace.

All that mattered was the happiness and bliss of those memories... And that he had to get those moments back. It no longer matter how much and how hard he had to work for them.

His skinny legs became sore, and his back ached as he moved the plow out of the field after he finished the final lines. He collapsed in exhaustion, but was still awake.

Applejack walked over to him. She now carried a basket with food in her mouth. The basket held all kinds of apple treats inside.

"Mighty worker you are when you set your mind to it." She put the basket on the ground and pushed it towards him with her hoof. She gently helped him up, then gave him a bucket of water.

She glanced at the plowed field. "Whooey! These are gonna make great plantin' places for seeds. You oughta be proud of yourself, Discord. For your first honest labor, it wasn't at all half bad. Now, how'd ya feel? Well, besides the sores and tiredness. That comes with labor, y'know. It might hurt, but in the long run Ah assure you it's the sweetest pain there is. 'Cause the results are worth it and lasting."

She raised an eyebrow with a smile as she showed him the fruit that he had created earlier. It had gone bad and spoiled in the short time that it was out in the field. Even the trees had wilted.

Discord let out a weary sigh. "Hmm..." He looked up at the plowed field as Applejack pointed out to it.

"In a few months' time, we'll all be eatin' out of these apples here." She watched Apple Bloom sprinkle the seeds around the plowed field, then cover them with the dirt. "They'll be the sweetest apples victory can reap, Ah reckon. Especially for you." She tapped his chest with her hoof and chuckled.

He recovered himself as he looked out to the field. He smiled as he watched the little filly spread the seeds down the plowed lines. "Well... I guess it really was worth it. Honest work _can_ be worth something, after all..." He glanced down at the treats before he ate them.

"Sure it can. Ah'm proud of you, too. Fluttershy was right, you really aren't as bad a fella at all. Ah think you've learned quite somethin' from this, after all. Feel free to leave at any time you wish and take the rest of the evenin' off, our job here is done." She offered him her hoof while she smiled.

"You're letting me go now?" He gave her his lion paw to shake.

"Bet I am, y'all did a great job this afternoon, so you deserve the rest of the time to rest an' have it to yourself." She stopped and chuckled as she remembered something. "Oh, heh, heh. Yeah, there's that other thing Ah wanted to tell you."

He looked at her curiously. "What?"

"That truth game might still just be on, you know. As a bonus. Feel free to get yourself some fun at my truth's expense, so long as it doesn't push it. That's where trust starts."

Twilight walked over to them once she teleported into Sweet Apple Acres. "Hello! I'm back! Glad to see you're..." She looked around at the fields in surprise. "Wow, I didn't expect those to be done today."

Applejack grinned and patted Discord's arm. "Yup! There ya have it! Discord here went an 'plowed it all on his own! An' followed his own 'no wings, no magic' rule, while doin' it, too!"

Twilight smiled a little as she looked at him. "I must say, I'm impressed. You really did learn about honesty after all, Discord." She turned to look at her friend. "I knew we could count on you, Applejack."

"Ahh, don't mention it, sugarcube. It was mutual benefit."

Twilight opened her saddlebag with her magic, then levitated a scroll and a quill out to give them to Discord. "I'm sure Princess Celestia will be impressed and glad with what you've learned. She definitely must read about it, if not hear it herself."

He sighed and gave Twilight a look. _Seriously...?_

Twilight only smiled at him as she waited for him to write the letter.

_Urgh... She's serious._ He took the materials and grumbled just slightly before he began to write.

He wasn't sure on how to word his discovery, so he decided that he would keep it short and... truthful.

_'Dear Princess Celestia,_

I would like to share with you what I learned about Honesty. Yes-Honesty, Princess of the Day; you read right. I actually learned... what you could call 'quite a bit' from the very Element herself.

You see, sometimes getting things done the easy way may seem like the better choice to finish the job faster, and have less of a load on your shoulders. One might grow used to taking things for granted, and trust that whatever we want will come easy to us because we will it to be easy.

However, that's not always the case with some other situations and things... Particularly those for which we want best results. In some occasions, one's honest hard work can produce results that help give value to what things we treasure the most...

Or... Something like that, you know. Working your tail off in an apple farm all day can teach you things like that, surprising as it may sound.

Signed, Discord.'

He finished the letter with that sarcastic remark and quietly gave it to Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight held the letter in the air with her magic while she opened her saddlebag once away to put the scroll away. "Thanks, Discord. I'm sure Princess Celestia will be pleased to read it."

Discord rolled his eyes. "You think...?"

"And Fluttershy will be really excited to hear about what you did. You're making quite the progress, Discord. All in just one day, no less." She looked up with a smile as the sky started to darken, the moon slowly being raised by Princess Luna.

Applejack looked up and noticed that the sky had darkened into Princess Luna's night. "Well, this is it for me. Ah'll be seeing y'all tomorrow."

"You bet, Applejack. Again, thank you for everything."

"My pleasure, Twi. Good to see you, Discord. Y'all go an' have yourselves a good night."

Discord waved his claw at Applejack as she walked away. Then he glanced down and noticed that Twilight was smiling at him. "Hm? What is it?"

"Nothing, really. I'm just glad that things seem to be working out this time."

"Oh, tell me about it... It better be worth it, Twilight, because-"

Twilight chuckled a bit. "You know it'll be. You know that better than anypony by now."

"Yeah, yeah, confidence and all that. Don't preach me about it..."

"Okay, since it's night, I'll let you go and have some rest. Let me remind you, Fluttershy's back home with the others, if you want to go with her. Or you can come with me. I'm going to head back to the Canterlot Palace. My friends and the Princesses won't mind if I stay over there a bit longer. If you want-"

"I'm sorry. Thanks for the offer, Twilight, but I have somewhere else to be now."

"Really?"

Discord nodded as he turned around, towards the Everfree Forest. "Yes, and I'm afraid I should have gone over a while ago... I haven't been there for a bit of time now." _Oh, hopefully she won't mind too much... The poor thing must be a wreck. I'm really going to get it..._

"But, what about-"

"You go on ahead and say hi to the princesses for me. I have to take care of this private matter as soon as possible. I'll see you and everypony else tomorrow!" Before Twilight could say anything else, he snapped his fingers and vanished, leaving no trace as to where he was headed to.

She scratched her head with her hoof and frowned with a puzzled expression. "Where would he go off to at this hour...?" _Not to the forest again, I hope... That would be way too weird... And what's with him and private matters?_

She walked down to the forest while she thought. If Discord had gone to the forest again, then Twilight had to see for herself what he was up to, and report it to the princesses.

However, another barrier did not let Twilight get very far. It shoved her back onto the dirt road with stronger force than the spell from the other night.

"Ow!" Twilight winced as she fell on the ground. _What the... Another barrier..._ She looked at the mostly invisible force that had kept her away. "This is... Well, it's covering less ground than the one from before... But just what is it hiding?"

She paced around the spell, careful to avoid it, while she tried to locate the origin. "Is it still shielding the forest...? Oh, this isn't good... Has it been here all these nights?"

_The Royal Guard's got to hear about this... Whatever is doing this is still here, and can't be up to any good, I'm sure. If only we had seen if it was here while Discord was in the palace all these days..._

Fifteen minutes of searching did not produce any satisfactory results, and Twilight couldn't afford to waste any more time. She would have to let the barrier go and investigate it within her library, or on her way to the Canterlot palace. It would be better than just standing and wandering around with no grounds or information to cover and report to the princesses.

If it was something serious, then she needed to figure out as much as possible.

"Can't go around alerting them for something that I have no information about... Let's see... It appeared just as it did the night of the gala... Even more strength..." She kept muttering her thoughts to herself as she made her way to Ponyville to pack.

* * *

**Again, LONG DESCRIPTION.** But all my thanks to those that will dare read over this big jumble of words.

The title was taken from this expression used in Spanish, I'm not sure if it relates in English... When a child or someone in general doesn't understand something, people go out of their way to explain clearly and make them understand, right? 'Explaining detailedly'. That's what the expression would say, basically. 'Explained so detailedly, I had to use pears and apples for examples. Or sticks and circles'. Eh, doesn't make much sense in English... But I hope you get what I mean. It's also kinda double meaning (in a lame way) because of Applejack and all that was apple-related in the chapter.

I loved doing Applejack's parts. This chapter was quite fun to work with. I think all characters in here were just great. I felt awesome while acting as Applejack, you know. It was a good time imagining her lines and expressions while her dialogue came up (not that I don't already do that with all the other characters, but for some reason, featuring somepony canon other than Twilight or the princesses with Discord felt great). I hope I did a satisfactory impression of her.

I couldn't think of anything else to kind of... show Discord the ropes about what he needs to learn to have a good approach towards the princesses. I thought 'well, if there's anything he needs to learn, it's humility and honesty'. Honesty was the first step that he would have had to get through either way, with or without a relationship, as Twilight explained.

So obviously something nice, fun, and awesome like Applejack teaching Discord would come up. Then my friend and I wondered how exactly Applejack would do the teaching (just like Applejack wondered herself). Being _My Little Pony_, I considered it could be through a song while they went for a walk dedicated to the teaching of Honesty alone.

Perhaps with Applejack taking him around town, showing him different displays of honesty. Doing the whole 'truth to question' game. Yes, that was the best, because we also thought it'd be hilarious. But, we couldn't just put the truth game-and the inevitable Honesty lecture-like that, there needed to be something where Applejack really fit. Her element, you know?

That's where I got the brilliant idea as I analyzed her character. Applejack is a humble, honest, hardworking, simple girl. If she's got something to teach, she still won't make a confusing fuss that'll lose someone into the details rather than actually teaching. She'd want to keep it nice, simple, but direct, you know. Not to mention that she's probably got lots of work to do regardless of what she needs to teach to anyone (which of course Twilight considerately took into account, knowing her friend). She wouldn't want to miss a day of work that really needs to get done, not even for the favor to one of her best friends.

So it was decided that Applejack's ideal teaching ground would be the ground itself! The field! Sweet Apple Acres during a good, long work round. Just like she said, "what better way for [Discord] or anypony else to learn about honesty than with an honest, productive day of labor!" And that's true, you know.

Work teaches you not only to be honest and true about your work, but to be diligent, humble, constant, and to always give it your best shot, the best that you can offer even if it isn't always the actual best. It also succeeds in teaching that sometimes we have to work hard for the stuff that are worth it. Most times they don't come the easy way; one has to earn them, and if one doesn't know how to earn them, one must start by learning how to do so.

She certainly kicked off his lazy take-it-all-for-granted, 'at the snap of my fingers', controlling attitude, didn't she? I reckon she couldn't have picked a better interactive way for him to learn, and I am very glad that this way actually adheres to her character.

The 'labor lesson' idea, while based off Applejack's character, was also taken from the first concept of the movie _The Ultimate Gift_. If you guys haven't watched it, you totally should. It's amazing. Those that have watched it can definitely relate this to the Gift of Labor.

I also feel like it unintentionally reminds people of _The Princess and the Frog_.

In my modest opinion, I thought Applejack was right on spot concerning the lectures she gave. Kept them very true, very real, meaningful... and managed to relate them to apples in a perfect way (I'll admit I had a bit of a hard time finding a good analogy with the Apple Family's quality and care and Honesty... Wow, me)!

The truth-to-question game was hilarious. Maybe we made it a bit too personal and aggressive... And when Discord tried to get smart with Applejack and her fields, oh, that was amazing. I purposely made his colorful fruit go bad to illustrate something that we all know well, 'If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly', or... 'be lazy and you work double' (I don't know how to accurately translate the phrase in English, but you get the idea).

Lastly, I loved Applejack's Southern accent, but I feel I could have expanded it a bit more. I feel I overused it with the obvious parts. It definitely was easier and more fun than archaic speech, let me tell you (no offense, Luna).

This was another of my favorite chapters for all I mentioned above. I am so glad I was able to put a lesson into the story, MLP style. And Discord even wrote a letter to the princess! Sort of.

Now, there's the issue that I was thinking of doing a 'lesson' for Discord with all of the Mane Six. You know, him learning something essential for his reformed life and aspired relationship with the Princess from all six of the Elements of Harmony.

But then... I didn't want to overdo it. I mean, this was good, it felt great. But one's got to know when to stop before you go overboard with the goodness. Besides, my friend and I didn't RP any other Mane giving Discord a lesson, so they all would have to be improvised and from scratch, and that might be a challenge, because I would have to build ALL of the chapter from scratch: chapter structure, grammar, other points to watch out for, not to mention the lesson plot in itself and the characters in-character.

And... While it would be good that Discord touched upon the Elements of Harmony... I admit, it would be VERY good that he had a one-on-one with all of them... It sounds fun, in my mind. But it's a lot more work than my mind initially plays it out to be. And, with all the other five, I don't see a way they could all connect to his thing with Celestia (which is what Discord wants to achieve).

On the other hand, I actually want him to learn these values... But then there's Miseria. His lovely Miseria, who wants to learn about Chaos from him alone... He can't really go around learning all the goodness when over his shoulder, someone's waiting for mischief and the fun that Chaos brings, right? It's hypocritical, and it'll cut Miseria's appearances real short, I'm sure. 'Cause he'll end up exhausted from his meetings with the Mane Six, there'd be no way he'd have the energy to keep up with Miseria all night, too.

This was all longer than I expected. Very sorry about that. I bet it was redundant in some parts. Thank you for your time, and I'm glad you've enjoyed everything!


	9. Worst Chaos in Equestria

**Worst Chaos in Equestria**

Zecora grunted and grumbled a bit as she made her way through the Everfree Forest. It had become more difficult than usual to navigate through the woods that were her normally quiet, solitary home, ever since a couple of nights.

For some reason, plants grew without stop everywhere, and just when Zecora thought she had them controlled, they went and did crazy antics before withering away, but not for long. As soon as plants and bizarre appearances in the land vanished, newer, more annoying ones went and replaced them.

Currently, she had to tread carefully over ground that continued to change in texture. A few seconds ago it had been soggy and swamp-like, before it turned back to its solid composition. Then the animals began to protest and let out annoyed reactions that nearly put her in danger.

She quickly pulled back as a snake hissed angrily at her. She sighed and gave it a sympathetic look. "I agree, my friend; I too long for a break." She looked back at the path she had crossed with a frown. "I really do wonder how much of this we are to take."

The snake shook its tail quickly with an indignant look as it slithered in the tree.

Zecora looked up, but still could see nothing unusual in the darkness. "Just when this interference has worn the entire forest to the bone, the force is gone and has not made its presence known. What a problem..."

Fog covered the ground, making it even harder to walk and not trip with the obstacles. Everywhere that Zecora turned to she could see the elements of the forest as they they all had a mind of their own. What surprised her the most was how quickly everything changed and then vanished; either withered away or just vanished into thin air.

The zebra finally stopped when she reached what appeared the source of all the disaster... A clearing that had nearly been upside-down with odd and bizarre creations and occurrences. It all seemed familiar in a way that she could not identify, but annoyed her nonetheless.

"Very well, this is where the situation seems most tough." She looked around to try to locate any creature that might be responsible for the magic. "Do you not think, my reserved visitor, that we have had enough?"

When she received no answer, Zecora decided to walk closer to the abandoned objects and magic plants. She nudged one, but then jumped as it came to life and started dancing before her. In her surprise, she quickly muttered something in her native language.

Miseria's ears perked up when she heard the music that the slithering tree had produced. She turned to the side and spotted Miseria as she gave her creations an odd and unamused look.

Zecora looked up at the silhouette that cautiously approached her. "I take it you are responsible for all this magic chaos and disorder?"

Bats of glittering colors flew out to greet her, laughing at her as she tried to get away. _"Of course, what did you think? What, are you not satisfied with this performance?"_

"I must say I am not. I would like to meet you and speak of this on the spot. If you..." She trailed off when she saw Miseria's silhouette as it walked right before her.

Miseria appeared before her in her adolescent form. She seemed surprised, yet excited to see her. She let out a gasp and a big smile. "A visitor!"

Zecora glanced at her before she started to back away. "...You appear to be-"

Miseria immediately gave a step forward and then teleported beside Zecora. _"Wait! What's your rush? What's your hurry?"_ She let out a relieved sigh and held her chest with her hoof. _"You gave me such a fright-I thought you were a ghost!"_

She led Zecora to a table that she appeared with a tap of her hoof. Her stretched hoof invited the zebra to take a seat on the colorful plastic chair that sprouted from the ground. _"Half a minute, can't you sit? Sit you down-SIT!"_

When Zecora refused to sit down, Miseria flicked her hoof and pushed her down with her magic, making some of the licorice roots on the ground hold her in her seat.

_"All I meant is that I haven't seen a visitor for days!"_ Miseria quickly turned around and laid in the air to eye Zecora curiously. _"Did you come here for a show, friend? Do forgive me if my head's a little vague-"_

Zecora grimaced and shuddered as a few unpleasant insects emerged from the chocolate milkshake that Miseria was about to offer her.

_"Ugh! What was that? But you'd think I have the plague."_ Miseria shooed the insects away before she held one that turned into sugar cubes in her hoof. _"From the way that people, keep avoiding-no you don't!"_

She looked up just as Zecora nearly escaped from her seat and made her way to the trees. She tapped her hoof and made the branches of the trees wrap around her. She looked at her apologetically once she teleported beside the branches.

"Do release me, you-"

_"Luna knows I try, friend."_ Miseria showed her the empty clearing that held nothing but her discarded creations. _"But there's no one comes in even to critique."_

She smiled eagerly at Zecora and leaned closer to her. _"Right you are, friend, would you like to take a peek?"_ She stepped back in the air as she awaited Zecora's answer.

Zecora shook her head and gave her a small smile as she pulled away from the branches. "I do believe I would not, but I appreciate the gesture that you-"

Miseria sighed and dropped her on the ground while she made clouds appear over the unamused zebra and rain popcorn above her. _"Mind you, I can hardly blame them..."_

She pointed to the popcorn rain that quickly turned into dust bunnies, which in turn flickered with light before they went out seconds later. She also showed her the twisted, altered ground that tried its best to snare its way down the forest. _"This is probably the worst chaos in Equestria..."_

Zecora looked around, then gasped with realization. "So it is chaos that you have practiced here? It makes sense, animals will not even come-"

_"I know why nopony cares to take it-I should know! I make it! But good? No!"_ Miseria walked forward and gave her creations a sad look. _"The worst chaos in Equestria..."_ She looked up in thought. _"Even that's polite-the worst chaos in Equestria..."_

Zecora blinked and looked at the purple and blue muffins that appeared before her. Despite their odd color, they actually seemed quite delectable and edible.

_"If you doubt it, take a bite!"_ She turned around to watch Zecora bite the blue muffin that suddenly turned into simple, insipid frosting that dripped off in the air. She smiled a little when she watched her gag and nearly spit the muffin out. _"Is that just disgusting? You have to concede it! It's nothing, but frosting-"_

She waved her hoof and levitated a glass of pumpkin juice in the air to offer it to Zecora. _"Here, drink this, you'll need it. The worst chaos in Equestria..."_

Zecora gave the juice a cautious sip, then shuddered slightly when she found that the pumpkin juice was sour-flavored. "Oh, dear, what is this...?!"

Miseria smiled as she set her hooves on the ground to turn it into sand. _"And no wonder, with those boring rules! What it is, when you get it-"_ She started molding and shaping some of the sand into the form of the Elements of Harmony bearers. _"Never, thought I'd live to see the day-"_

Her horn glowed as she moved some more of the sand into the princesses' form. _"Folks would think it was pure joy! Finding poor magic tools-what they're starting to annoy!"_

She moved beside Zecora and showed her a vision of Celestia while she greeted the citizens of Canterlot from the palace's balcony. _"Princess Celestia has a kingdom. Does her business but I notice something weird..."_

Zecora raised an eyebrow as Miseria wrapped her hoof around her shoulders and altered the vision into Celestia standing on the balcony above the empty city. She tried to scoot away when the strange alicorn-like creature leaned closer to whisper to her.

_"...Lately all her little ponies disappeared!"_ She blew on her hoof and appeared a cupcake on a silver plate, which she offered to Zecora. _"Have to hand it to her, what I call... enterprise-popping ponies into pies."_ She glanced forward, at no place in particular, with a mischievous smirk, then winked.

Zecora gasped and grimaced again when she heard Miseria's last statement. She immediately moved away from the cupcake before it dissolved into colorful, bouncing frogs.

Miseria turned her around with a solemn face. _"Wouldn't do in my place. Just the thought of it's enough to make you sick!"_ She smiled and nudged her forward as they both slid down a caramel slide that plunged them into vanilla pudding.

Zecora shook her head quickly as Miseria slid out of the pudding and leaned on the grass.

_"But I'm telling you, those ponies sure are quick..."_

"You are not making any sense. No matter how hard I try, I cannot to seem to get anything other than-"

Miseria brightened up when she turned around to face Zecora. _"No denying times are bad, friend. Even badder than the worst chaos in Equestria..."_ She looked up at some of the trees that began to dance together, spreading their sharp leaves everywhere with each step that they took. _"Nothing positive to add-"_

She pointed at the scrawny trees with a grimace. _"Is that just revolting? All splintery, and gritty."_

She glanced aside at a glass figure that resembled the shape of a phoenix. It was perched on the branch of another tree, but wobbled as it tried to peck the trunk. _"It looks like it's melting, and sounds like-"_

Both Zecora and Miseria were suddenly startled by the melting glass bird's ear-piercing screech that it had attempted to pass for a song.

Miseria fidgeted with her hooves nervously as she approached the bird. _"Well, pity..."_ She distracted Zecora long enough to zap the bird with her tail and make it disappear into sticky glass pieces.

Zecora looked back at Miseria with a worried look. "If you were to change the direction of your art, I am sure that the result and satisfaction wouldn't be quite hard-"

Miseria shook her head and looked down at Zecora while she motioned to herself. _"A filly alone... With limited wind..."_

She pointed to the clearing that was full of her magic influence. _"And the worst chaos in Equestria...!"_

Zecora frowned a bit. "I do not believe you have told me your-oof!" She grunted as Miseria pulled her up to hold her against her.

_"Aye, friend... Times are hard... Times are hard~!"_ She held Zecora for a few seconds before she dropped her again.

She held her head and gave Miseria a look. "I do not know since when your chaos began... But don't you think that all this is a bit far-fetched plan?"

Miseria frowned a bit as she tried to make sense of Zecora's words. "Wait, what do you-"

Zecora stepped past Miseria as she continued to scold her. "I am not sure if this does ring a bell, but have you not learned that Chaos will not end well?" She pointed above her with her hoof, at the strong barrier that still surrounded the forest. "That said, do go on home, my dear, and end this vicious spell."

Miseria glanced up at her barrier for a second. "Oh, you noticed. Huh. Weird, you're not even a unicorn."

Zecora sighed. "I am one versed in knowledge and the wise. I have learned my own deal of magic experience after so many trials and tries."

"Hm. Okay, that's interesting and all, but-hey, wait a second." She looked at Zecora again. "Um... Could you explain to me how it is that you're actually here? Like... In this place here. The forest is supposed to be-"

"Off limits to the outside folk?" Zecora smiled at the puzzled Miseria. "But that doesn't seem to be all that Experience has spoke."

"...Come again?"

Zecora looked at the trees around them. "You see, I seldom leave my beloved woodlands home. It is only on occasion, and to the very close Ponyville to which I these days roam."

"Ohhh, _now_ I get it! You were already inside when I cast the spell around the forest!" Miseria smiled and clopped her hoof down on the ground as she figured out Zecora's explanation.

Zecora raised an eyebrow with another unamused look. "And some powerful spell it was you cast. You have left the folk both in and out aghast."

"Oh, that's flattering! So they noticed my little spell. You know, it took nothing to do..." Miseria blushed a bit and rubbed her hoof against her chest.

Zecora sighed and tried to walk forward. She looked up as Miseria floated before her. "I attempt to get back home."

"You haven't told me your name yet! It's been a few days since I had some company. I'm growing terribly bored. Oh, don't tell me you're no fun at all..."

"Well... Zecora is my name. I do not originally come from here, but it is all the same, for the ponies that I have met have definitely grown fond and acceptant of me ever since to this place I first came. I am glad that my person and customs are receiving now a much positive fame."

Miseria raised an eyebrow as she stared at Zecora while she spoke. "...You're weird, you know."

"That comment is to me of no surprise." She chuckled and looked up at Miseria. "I can see you are new here; you'll soon learn to look at this place with new eyes. Nothing is as it appears, but soon everyone conquers those fears."

"And, you're not making any sense! How am I supposed to understand-"

"You are quite an impatient one, for somepony with such a divine look."

Miseria smiled. "Oh, you think I'm divine? You sure know how to flatter someone!"

"I do not judge the cover of a book." Zecora glanced aside a bit worriedly. "But I must be on my way soon, young one. I am afraid that-"

"What?! But we're just starting! I told you, I'm bored and you've visited me! You didn't think I'd let you go so easily, now, did you?" Miseria sat on the air and giggled while she looked down at Zecora.

"I am sorry, I do not have time for games. Perhaps another time you can-"

_"Miseria!"_

Miseria immediately stopped as she heard her name called out across the forest. She recognized the voice too well. "Oh, that's... That's...!"

Zecora backed away as she watched. "This does not seem-"

"That's _brother!_ Oh, he finally came to visit! He sure took his time!" Miseria giggled and landed on the ground while a vanity dresser appeared in front of her.

"And what will you do now?"

"Look my best, of course. What else? Brother's here, I have to make sure he finds the best of me. And my chaos, of course."

"Your chaos?"

"Yep!" She looked aside as her name was called out again. "Coming, brother~" She glanced at the zebra while she powdered her nose. "Sorry, Zecora, but... The one I really wanted to see is finally here. So, I guess we'll have to save your rhymey wimey for another time, okay? Do stay out of our way when we're out having fun. See you later!"

"Wait, but you never told me-" Zecora shielded her eyes with her hoof as Miseria vanished in bright light. "...Oh, why do I even bother..." She walked away from the abandoned clearing while wondering about the strange, mismatched creature. "Hmm... At least she will probably be no problem when she finds her brother..."

* * *

...Phew! Okay. This took a bit more work than I imagined... Actually, no. I did imagine that it would take this much work. And... For some reason, I am not satisfied with it. Love the song, took some hell of work to incorporate to story mode and narrative... But... I feel like there could have been more going on during the chapter. Looks a bit... I don't know.

Does it seem to you guys like Zecora's just... there? Huh. Maybe because she is just there, hm? I don't know if you fully get the whole 'spontaneous singing number' that everyone gets with the show... I tried to make the details and actions as descriptive as possible. You know what? Maybe some day I'll come back to edit this thing. For now, it looks like this... I will readily await suggestions to make it better.

This was a chapter done completely from scratch, like a couple others that I've made before. My friend and I didn't RP anything for it that I could edit and retouch. I did it in just the last half of yesterday and today. So, I don't blame it for needing work.

Looks like there's not much point to this chapter in the first place, huh? But... Well... First off, we feature more of Miseria. You can see her mischievous little playful side without Discord around. So far so good... She's very happy to have a visitor. And even without Discord there, she completely idolizes him and works hard to be like him (dang it, now I have 'I Wanna Be Like You' stuck in my head). Zecora does not approve for the most part. She's like... 'what the hay...?!'

I had fun and trouble coming up with her lines. It was great. But I don't think I did her justice. You may be wondering, 'why Zecora, of all characters-minor and otherwise?' That's a good question. It could have been any other character... I'll admit that at first I thought of Big McIntosh (doesn't talk much, would get turned into a rabbit by the end or something). But then I thought, 'what would Big Mac be doing deep in the Everfree Forest at night?' The guy's got plenty of work to take care of!

Also, let's not forget that Miseria's barrier is on. Nopony can get in. So it would have to be somepony that was already inside the forest. DING-DING-DING! We have a winner! Zecora was the perfect choice. Besides, I will feature Zecora again in the future, in a way where Miseria is already familiar with her, yet I showed no traces of them ever meeting. This chapter was made to fix that error.

Thank you for reading and telling me what you think!

Okay... Crediting (even though people SHOULD know none of this-except for Miseria-belongs to me):  
_My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic_: Lauren Faust  
'The Worst Pies in London': _Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street_, which was directed by Tim Burton


	10. Moonlight Modesty

**Moonlight Modesty**

Luna looked up at the night sky as she finished organizing the stars. Her horn glowed as she made some of the dots on the sky sparkle with a brighter glow, in order to give the sky more beauty.

"That should be good... Oh." She looked aside as she came upon the crooked constellations that Discord had made many centuries ago. _I can't believe it. They're... They're still here...?_

Her eyes teared up slightly as she remembered the complaints that she had made to her sister while 'Wilder' snickered and enjoyed her frustration. He never did put all of her stars in the right order, and had bewitched some of them to stay forever in that humorous way that he had put them.

_After all this time..._ She smiled a little as she watched Discord's stars with a nostalgic look. She could not make herself clean up the disorder with some of her perfect constellations.

Modest walked up behind her as he started at the stars as well. He startled Luna a bit as he spoke. "They really are beautiful tonight, Princess Luna. Just like every other night. You do a wonderful job with them."

Luna gasped and quickly turned around. "Oh. P-Prince Modest. I..."

"I'm sorry for startling you, Princess, I didn't mean to. I just felt like I should compliment your work. It really is worth the best of recognition."

"Well... Well, thank you. We ap-I appreciate. Really." She glanced aside and fidgeted nervously while he walked beside her. _Oh, dear goodness, what is he going to..._

"Do you mind if I stay here for a little while, Your Highness?"

"No. Not at all. Feel free to do so, Prince, I was on my way back to the palace."

"Already? I thought you would enjoy the sight a bit longer."

"No, I-I've enjoyed it long enough. There are many things that We-I, need to do. If you'll excuse me-"

Modest chuckled a bit and shook his head as she tried to walk away. "Please come here. I wouldn't want to think that my presence scares you off, Princess Luna. Is that so?"

"O-of course not. That's not it. It's just... I really am busy..."

"Could I ask you to spare a moment of your time? I am confident that it would not distract you. I just mean to get to know you better."

Luna blushed a bit as she stared at him. _G-get to know... Just... Just what is he thinking...?_

He smiled sheepishly and blushed slightly. "Oh, dear. Do forgive me if that sounded bold. I meant-"

"Don't worry, Prince. It's alright. If you insist, I can stay just a bit longer." She stepped closer to him and sat down again. She sighed and glanced aside uncomfortably. _I can't believe I actually did this... Now what am I supposed to do now?_

He gave her a slightly puzzled look. He smiled a little and gazed around with a calm, content look. "Everything is so tranquil during the night... I think it's the moment when one can truly think in peace. My kingdom sure does like peace and tranquility, so you can imagine how appreciated night is."

Luna blinked with surprise and stared at him. "It... It is?"

"Sure. As much as the day. It's all balanced." He looked at her again. "Your night is as much appreciated in my kingdom as it is in here, I am sure. After all, who could live without either of those times, right?"

"Right... I... I am glad that they like it there, too..." She glanced down as she frowned just slightly. _It just... took Equestria one thousand and two years to come to appreciate it as they do now..._ She sighed and shook her head. _Well, you know what they have always said... 'Better late than never'..._

He leaned closer to her, but was careful to approach her gently. "...What are you thinking about, Princess?"

She blushed again and quickly snapped her head up to face him. "I-I beg your pardon?"

"Well, you seem so thoughtful... yet troubled at the same time. Is it something bad you're thinking about?"

"Don't you think that question is a bit personal, Prince Modest? They are _my_ thoughts after all."

Modest chuckled nervously. "Of course they are. Please forgive me for intruding." He scratched his head, then stared ahead again without saying anything else. _Some reserved attitude the Night Princess has..._

Luna didn't answer while she stared ahead anxiously while she nearly suffocated with her own thoughts. She just did not seem to find anything to say that was proper and enjoyable.

_Why do I keep doing this? That was completely rude-it isn't me! Why can't I just answer normally, like Celestia...? He'll think I'm a spoiled, jerk princess with no disposition to offer... That's not me at all! I have to try harder with this... I... I have to be nicer... It's not so hard, I really am nice..._

"Well..." He chuckled a bit and rubbed the back of his head. "This is some... awkward silence, isn't it?"

"I like silence. I thought you liked peace and tranquility. B-but..." She quickly started to think as Modest gave her an uncomfortable look. "But, I-I do agree. It is rather awkward... I am not sure what to-I mean, we could just talk about other matters... Like..."

He gave her a gentler look as he noticed how hard she tried to make a pleasant conversation. _I think she could use a little help, couldn't she?_

_I can do this! It's just talking-I am capable of such a simple task! I can handle it on my own, since when was conversation so irrationally difficult?!_ "For... For example... How are the affairs in your kingdom? We haven't heard of anything as of yet. Perhaps nothing exciting has occurred lately?"

He frowned just a bit with a puzzled expression. "Nothing exciting?"

"I-I meant... Well... You know, nothing that would be considered... important-"

"Um..."

"In the dangerous sense of the word! As in... in danger. Nothing that would be alarming for the other kingdoms, I mean. A-are we glad that nothing like that has occurred..."

Modest chuckled a bit. "Well... Not all kingdoms can be the center of such thrilling drama, Princess. I'm afraid we don't have such luck where we come from-"

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Well, I meant, not that your kingdom is dramatic, or anything, but with everything that has occurred..."

"It's not like we like to be the center of that kind of attention, Prince Modest. The events just happen, and I assure you they are not for popularity. They are events that have endangered Equestria."

"O-of course, that's not what I meant, really... I just intended to make a little joke, is all... Um..."

"Is that what you think of our kingdom? A joke?"

"No! Of course not, I respect it as I do my own! I just think that you should lighten up a little, Princess Luna. I'm trying to make some-"

"What you think I should do or not should not be voiced out with such a disrespectful manner, Prince Modest. I know what I must do. I am a princess, after all. But I must let you know that you are not the only one who believes other royals could change some things in themselves for the better. I, for one, believe that you could use some more discretion and formality in your approach."

"Hey, that wasn't-"

"That's precisely what I mean."

Modest frowned as he stood up to face her. "Well, I believe that you could give me some lessons in formality, Princess? You have practiced for so many years, after all, haven't you?"

Luna scoffed a bit. "Oh, I could give you so many lessons in much more than just formality, believe me. But I'm afraid that you would not learn in one thousand years what I possessed since I was born."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She rolled her eyes as she looked at him again. "Only that if you are the way that Royalty is headed, Prince Modest, then I daresay that the noble family of the present and future leaves much to be desired. I shudder to think what is leading the present world nowadays."

"_You_ sure are one to talk, Princess Luna. Perhaps you have forgotten that you and your sister currently rule this thrilling kingdom of yours. Not to mention that _your_ end of the royal family is not that well endowed, if I do say so myself." Modest set his hoof down and raised an eyebrow. "Allow me to elaborate, please. I do not wish to make a statement without proof."

"Whatever you say will be meaningless, Prince. Unlike you, my sister and I happen to be of a very renowned and worthy family, recognized for its accomplishments and powerful, mighty members-"

"Mighty?" Modest let out a laugh. "Oh, I do believe your relatives are _mighty_, alright!"

"Of course they are! My parents raised the sun and moon before us and ruled this world for quite a few centuries before we came along. They witnessed the wonders and were involved in the events that forged our very lifestyles and existences. They banished the Changelings from this kingdom for the first time, and founded most of the knowledge that we used to continue our rule. My sister and I followed after them with our own major accomplishments."

"Hmm. Oh, really?"

"Yes. In fact, many of them we achieved them while we were still at a very young age."

"And when you say 'young' what is the supposed definition of that? I'd imagine it might be quite relative for you, princess." Modest raised an eyebrow as he smiled wryly.

Luna held in a growl while she composed herself and continued to explain. "...We expanded the growth and development of this kingdom and continued to prosper on the land. I was responsible for many political achievements and alliances that made many accomplishments in this day possible. My sister also succeeded in gaining the love of all our supporters far and wide. We defeated the Changeling Queen and King Sombra of the Crystal Empire when they sought to siege our kingdom, and we only required the help of a good friend of ours! Then-"

"I do not need a history lesson, princess, as flattering as that may be for you, since it appears history is the only thing you can successfully teach. You seem a bit outdated, but I suppose that would be the work of your vacation on the moon."

"Oh, don't you even go there!"

"For your relatives I meant those of further distance, princess. You know, the poor princess that nearly lost her groom and that overbearing-"

"I can tell you good about them as well! In case you do not remember, Prince Modest, it was my niece that effectively banished the Changelings once again, with Shining Armor's help. As if that was not enough, she also helped in the liberation of the Crystal Empire and became its rightful princess and ruler."

"Well, then, princess, let me have you put your tales where your mouth is. What can you tell me about Prince Blueblood? I have heard nothing but unpleasant tales of him even before I came to Equestria."

Luna huffed at the prince's smug attitude. "I can tell better tales of him than I can tell of you, that's for sure."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really! Sure, Blueblood may have become a bit... difficult to handle since his family decided to expand their noble lineage in the Eastern Kingdom, but that does not give anypony the right to throw bad rumors left and right! I admit, his attitude leaves much to be desired, but none of us have the right to judge the way he decides to go about things. Are you going to tell me that you're the perfect prince?"

Modest scowled at Luna's questioning, sharp look. "I definitely cannot say you're the perfect princess."

"Exactly. Perfect or not, Blueblood's family does a good contribution to the wellbeing of this kingdom. If it wasn't for his family's contribution, we would not have the expanded branches of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns that-"

"Education, wow. A mighty achievement. Too bad Blueblood himself doesn't seem to enjoy the pride and accomplishment of the family and instead basks in the luxuries that it provides."

"Alright, and what can you tell me about _your_ family?! We have never heard anything major, even in the Western history!"

"In case you may not have noticed, my family and line favors modesty over _publicity_. We have done great deeds to keep the Western Kingdom up and running, nearly as much as you folks have here. But of course, we don't go around boasting like spoiled little royalty descendancy."

Luna growled a little. "I think our conversation here is finished, Prince Modest. I really am sorry I bothered to stay here so long."

Modest nodded and started to walk back. "I'm sorry I ever thought this would be a good idea, princess. You and your sister are clearly total opposites of each other. I see why she is always the one to welcome and 'win the favor of' all the guests!"

Luna blinked and gasped a bit. _Why did Celestia ever say that I would like him...?_ She glared at him before she turned around and started to walk away as well.

_I'll stick to keeping company to Princess Celestia from now on._ Modest let out an annoyed sigh and looked up at the palace. He did not turn back to look at Luna as she walked the other way.

Suddenly heavy clouds appeared on the sky, though neither of them saw where they came from. They crackled lightning for a bit before thunder boomed through the land and showered it all with icy rain.

"What...?" Modest looked around to see that the rain was quickly becoming troublesome. "Great. Something else to trouble Princess Celestia with. Where is the weather patrol when you need it...?"

~~~

Luna grunted as she tried to move through the flooded garden. "Where is the weather-patrol-when you need it?!" She pulled her hooves out, then screamed a bit as she fell into the mud again. She gasped when she saw that she was sinking slowly. "What...?!"

Modest raised an eyebrow. "Well, what do you know. I found a stick in the mud in here."

"Don't you think that it's a little weird for it to rain at night?!"

"I guess you must take care of the weather a bit better."

"Prince Modest, why don't you go make yourself comfortable in your little room?! You'll be useful for at least that much!"

"I should, shouldn't I? My business here is done."

Luna grunted and made her horn glow to grab some of the nearby branches. "Ngh..." _I can do this. No need to ask for help. I'm a princess, and I can do this._

Modest shook his head and started to walk away. He only took a few steps before the ground crumbled beneath him and made him slide down to the same spot where Luna was sinking.

"What do you know. A mudslide."

"Why should I? This was my problem alone."

"...You are far more unpleasant than I initially gave you credit for, princess."

"Thank you very much, Prince Modest, the feeling is mutual. Now, I'll have you know, in case you haven't noticed, that we are sinking. I tried to pull myself out, but got you here instead."

"Thank you for that, by the way. Way to bring others into your problem, princess. Very nice."

She rolled her eyes. "Whining in my ear, like every rightful gentlecolt should."

"I _did_ try to be a gentlecolt! Apparently you don't take kindly to them."

"I don't take kindly to-" Luna screamed a bit as she sank deeper. _B-but how?! I hardly moved!_ She could not say much as she went deeper again.

Modest sighed as his horn glowed a dark purple. His magic surrounded a long hanging vine and turned it into a strong rope that he tied to the nearby tree. "Oh, good. Nearly midnight, finally she gets quiet. Well, princess, that's not even-" He turned around and raised an eyebrow when he did not see much of Luna. "Princess? Princess Luna?"

"Mmph-mm!" Luna let out muffled screams and pushed her hooves through the mud.

"Princess Luna!" He dove deeper into the mud as he searched for her with his hooves. When he finally managed to grab her, he did not hesitate and pulled as hard as he could. "Ngh... Princess! Hang on!"

He made sure that the rope was securely tied before he started heaving Luna and himself out with plenty of effort. When he felt that he nearly slipped, Modest quickly called out to the Royal Guards, but did not let go.

Luna coughed and opened her eyes, looking at him and the rope. She shut her eyes closed and focused to make the mud a bit easier to thread through.

Finally, she and Modest were out, panting from the effort.

She quickly looked at him as he vanished the mud from his cloak. "Prince Modest, are you alright?!"

"I'm fine. How about you? You nearly sank down there." He gave her a worried glance.

Luna blushed slightly and cleared her throat. "I'm okay now. I..." She sighed and gave her a soft, sincere look. "Thank you very much for helping me. I... I really needed it."

"...You're welcome. That really was something hard. I hardly even-"

"And, Prince Modest? I... I also would like to apologize, for the fight from earlier. It was very rude of me to behave that way towards you, Your Highness." She bowed her head a bit.

"Oh, Princess, you're not the only one who should apologize. I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have acted like that, either. I mean, I don't know what happened." He blushed slightly as he rubbed the back of his head. "It was very, very immature... Honestly I..."

Luna smiled a little with a sheepish look. "Wasn't it?"

He sighed and have her a small smile. "I hope you can forgive me. I assure you, I really didn't mean any of it. I just..."

"I understand. We both got carried away for something that was absolutely pointless. And embarrassing, too..." She shook her head. "I did not mean any of it, either. It... It was a misunderstanding." She looked aside with a brighter blush on her face. "Truth be told, I... I was nervous. I am not as confident as Celestia is... I really did not know what to say to this kind of..."

"I'm sorry I put you in that spot. I didn't mean to. And, yes, it was my bad, you don't need to say otherwise. I should have known this would be difficult to you. But I was nervous, too. I didn't know if you actually didn't like me or were just, um, shy. But, how about we put this misunderstanding behind us, Princess?"

"You'd be willing to do that...?"

"Sure. I had my fault in that too. So let's clear it up with a fresh start."

Luna frowned a bit as she looked at herself. "I wish our fresh start could be a bit more... presentable."

Modest looked up at the clouds. "Well, it's still raining. We're already wet, so this should be no problem. Come." He stood up and walked with her right beneath the clouds. He smiled as the water washed away the mud and dirt from them. "See? We're clean enough. Though I won't refuse a bath after this..."

She chuckled a bit and smiled again. "Very well, then."

Modest bowed a bit. "Allow me to introduce myself, Princess. I am Prince Modest of the Western Kingdom. It is a pleasure to reside in Equestria as a guest, and a delightful honor to be in your presence tonight."

"My name is Princess Luna of the Kingdom of Equestria. It is a pleasure and honor to have you here too, Prince Modest." She nodded her head formally, then looked up at him again. "Thank you."

"No problem. I'm glad we started it right. Now we should be able to talk more easily, right?"

Luna gave her a shy smile. "Um... Yes. Yes, we should."

"Good. Then let's talk about what we like. That's always a good way to get to know somepony. And please don't worry about your social skills, Your Highness. You're doing just fine."

She sighed. "Well, I'll try my best, really... Since it is obvious that I like the night, I should also mention that I enjoy... I enjoy the classics of culture, Prince Modest. I am afraid I am still catching up to the times, so while I do, I get comfortable with the collections of classics that I've always known."

"I don't hold that against you, the classics are good."

"Heh. But that does not limit me from wishing to have fun. Have you ever spent a Nightmare Night with your subjects? It is a truly delightful experience. I had one, and look forward to many more."

"Nightmare Night? My subjects always have a great time with it. I'm glad the occasion was passed on to the other kingdoms, because I honestly don't think that our little ones could have as much fun without it."

"What about you?"

"Well, I like the tranquil seasons... I am a very peaceful guy. I enjoy music very much, but I don't like bragging about it." He laughed nervously. "I also like studying the natural resources of the world."

"That is very interesting indeed."

"I hope that the subject soon reaches this kingdom so that you and Princess Celestia may learn about it. Let's see... I like going for walks, as you may have noticed already."

"I like that too. I always enjoy wandering around the palace during my night time watch. There are so many things to see, even then!"

"I agree. Speaking of your watches... Princess Luna, how do you handle sleep? I've always been rather curious about the issue. I hope it's not uncomfortable to explain."

"Of course not. I don't have much problems with it. I sleep during the day, but not even all of it. I suppose I only need a few hours of rest to be able to function correctly. Celestia doesn't need to sleep all night, either, but... Well, we are capable of sleeping for twelve hours and feel great afterwards."

"I guess those are the perks of being an alicorn."

Luna laughed a bit. "Especially an alicorn with such a strong connection to the moon or the sun."

Modest laughed with her and continued to talk with her. He looked down as he noticed that his hoof was over hers. He said nothing about it, just smiled and continued talking.

She glanced down and blushed when she saw it, too. What's this...?

"Is there a problem, Princess?"

She looked at him and shook her head. "No, not at all."

He glanced at her again and leaned closer without thinking much about it. _Seems like we have finally broken the ice and made up. That's very good, especially on a night as... nice... as this one. Should I..._

Luna looked up at the gray clouds above them with a doubtful expression. _Well, it finally stopped raining. And everything didn't go all that bad in the end. Seems like we're finally becoming friends, like Celestia mentioned. She looked at him without saying anything. Will he..._

Modest shook his head and sighed as he looked away. "That... That was some freak rain back there, huh?"

"Oh, yes." She looked down and smiled a little. "I don't know what happened. I guess it must have caused plenty of accidents or something." She looked up and saw the servants and guards that hurried all around the palace and the grounds.

"I hope nopony was hurt."

"Yes, hopefully."

They glanced aside as silence fell again. They did not feel comfortable letting it linger, though, so Modest quickly thought of a way to break it for good.

He sighed and stood up. "This has been a wonderful night, Princess Luna. Despite all that happened. I'm glad I got to know you better."

"I can say the same, Prince. Have a good night's rest."

He shook her hoof and nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow. Don't stay out too long."

"Don't worry, I won't. But I do have to see more into this rain..." She waved at him and started to walk away. _Well... That was foolish._

Modest frowned a little as he walked away. _Maybe I should have stayed a bit longer...? But, what if that was getting too close, and she just didn't want to say anything out of courtesy? It's best not to push it..._ He sighed and turned around in the gardens to enter the palace.

Luna looked up at the guards as they stood before her to report. "Okay, no accounts on the rain... We'll just consider it an unexpected malfunction-an accident. Mistakes like that happen all the time. Please do call a night weather patrol to complete their shift here. This needs to be cleaned up as soon as possible."

"Yes, Princess!"

She shook her head as she looked at herself. _Ugh... The grounds are not the only ones that need cleaning... I really do hope the Prince won't think anything of this..._ She smiled a little and giggled at her thoughts before she continued her walk.

Celestia smiled as she watched Luna and Modest from the window in her room. She giggled slightly and put a hoof over her mouth. _Oh, Luna..._ She shook her head a bit and turned around to walk to her bed.

* * *

Well, here's another chapter that came out of the blue! Just now, today, a couple of hours ago. I finished it in record time, maybe that's why it'll seem like it needs some more work done.

It was inspired by a comment that I got on an earlier chapter, about how Modest and Luna could interact more. I was wondering how I could give Modest more development and got that answer. And this is what came to my mind when I started to work on the chapter that would supposedly be this one. I was like, 'yeaaah... He definitely needs more screentime.' And this is perfect!

I surprise myself sometimes... I mean, I honestly did not initially plan the whole bickering and argument. Like, whoa! It didn't seem like either of them would be capable of that... But it didn't seem like Fluttershy would be scary either, right? So there... I really liked giving this side to the two. It was funny and cute at the same time, watching them argue and make up like that.

I am NOT satisfied with the freak accident that happened to have them make up, but I didn't want to get into much detail because I currently don't have much time. Talk about laziness... So maybe I'll edit the accident into something better that will take a little longer. Because honestly... WHAT. Freak rain that made a mud swamp... Ehh.

The freak rain you can thank Miseria for it, by the way. Miseria and her _worst chaos in Equestria~_

Other than that, I thought it was great. A little cliche, but excellent. Love my spontaneous imagination sometimes...

On another, troll-much note... Who do you think burned and beat who? Luna VS. Modest, there you have it, pals... I kept saying 'oooh', 'ohhhh', and 'ouch' the whole time.

By the way, I just decided that, if Modest was a canon character or something, he'd probably have Jason Christopher Marsden's voice (played Kovu in _The Lion King 2_. I think that's a pretty well-known role). But, if you guys imagine him with another voice, I'd love to hear the suggestions. There always are so many to think of, after all.


	11. Making Things All Better

**Making Things All Better**

Miseria hummed a bit as she played around with the animals that scurried away from her. She concentrated hard as she tried to transform them and make them do bizarre stuff. However, much to her frustration, the out-of-place magic and madness was too much for them to take, and they always either lost their minds permanently or even collapsed, unable to do much further.

Even inanimate things that she attempted to mess with were destroyed every time she tapped her hoof with a new, creative spell.

"Ooh, no, that's not right!" She looked at a bunch of insane rabbits with frustration, then raised an eyebrow as she muttered to herself. "Why can't I get this?! I don't mean to overdo it!"

She shook her head and continued to mess with the forest in different ways. She quickly got over her frustration and started to laugh at her antics again.

She floated on her back in the air as geysers of frosting burst out of the ground without doing much other noise. They quickly got out of control, but she didn't mind the sweet, colorful mess that soon surrounded her. "Mmm... I love mulberry. Ooh, and pear! Orange juice! These frostings would go lovely on a cake..."

She giggled, then grunted when she bumped against Discord. She had not seen him while she floated backwards. "Ngh! Owie... Huh?" She smiled brightly when she saw him. "Big brother!"

He eyed her creations with an odd look. "Well, you certainly have been practicing, my dear."

Miseria smiled with her eyes closed and nodded. "Mm-hm! I sure have! And lots, big brother!"

He smiled a little as he raised an eyebrow. "But... It seems like you still lack something here." He snapped his fingers and melted the geysers to flood the grassy area where they stood.

She jumped on him, nearly throwing him back with the sudden force. "What took you so long, brother?! Those princesses are on a whim, night couldn't come soon enough! I'm so glad to see you. You gotta tell me how you did all those amazing things in Ponyville last year!"

Discord chuckled as Miseria continued to speak rapidly. "Oh, Miseria, well-"

Miseria blinked and watched one of the rabbits as he hit himself against a tree. _Ohh... It's... That little thingy..._ She looked up and slapped him away with her painful tail.

Then she dove into the ground, which seemed solid enough, though she swam through it as if it was water. "I've been trying to do spells just like yours, but I can't get them right at all." She giggled and flapped her wings playfully while she watched him.

He slipped into the swimming ground as well. "Well, it really was not so difficult."

Miseria tilted her head as she played in the liquid ground. "It wasn't?"

"Definitely not, it was one of the simplest of plans, and it carried out wonderfully-for the most part. It was only a matter of disorganizing one detail at a time." He floated upwards and held himself in that position with his nose. "But say... How do _you_know of that time in Ponyville, Miseria?"

"Oh. The Dark One told me. And I saw it! It was so much fun, and you did so great, I can't believe it was so underestimated!" She tapped both of her hooves in the air and made marshmallow confetti pop out of her. "I wish I could have been there. It's too bad it didn't end like I would have liked."

She sat on the air and plucked a bunch of bushes from the ground and held them in the air upside-down, turning them into different colors. She gave him a smiling, determined look. "I'm going to learn as much as I can from you, big brother. Because I want to become the Queen of Chaos!"

She held what was supposed to be a blueberry bush and shook the chocolate berries off. She smiled widely with anticipation, then sighed when the bushes all withered away, including the one she was holding.

Discord stood next to her and patted her shoulder. "Dear... You need a king to be a queen."

Miseria let out an annoyed breath as she rolled her eyes. "I know."

"But, you know... I'm sure that we can fix the little problem." He made chocolate rain all around them, then also made the trees change color and shape.

She smiled and nuzzled against him. "Then you be my king, brother! I'm going to keep improving, I'm sure. Especially if you help me learn more, it'll be wonderful!" She winked at him as he smiled. "Just you wait. I'll be as good as you are, big brother." She drank some chocolate milk and giggled when he tickled her.

"That sounds like quite a goal you have. I do look forward to seeing it accomplished."

Miseria frowned a bit and gave him a look. "Oh, brother. Don't patronize me!" She booped his nose with her hoof, then smiled a little as he rubbed it.

"Of course not, Miseria dear. I truly do believe you might have potential for amazing things..." He glanced at some rock animals that stampeded over a vanishing bundle of candy. "...Eventually." He sighed and put on a small smile on his face._Quite eventually, but definitely so._

Miseria sighed dreamily and held her hooves together. "The embodiments of Chaos and Disharmony..." She looked up at him as he shook his head. "Hee, hee! Oh, isn't that a most amazing pair?" She playfully jumped away from him and glanced back with a smile.

"Heh heh. Might as well be." He snapped his fingers to turn the ground into solid, black squares that started to float. After he stood on one, he followed her while she pranced from one tile to the next. "Oh, you're a quick little one, aren't you?"

"You're not going to keep me waiting, are you?" She giggled and ran while he chased her around the forest.

She looked around as she reached another dark area crowded by trees once again. _Let's see. Where do I hide, where...? Ah!_She smiled, then closed her eyes as she sank into the ground to hide.

* * *

Modest sat in one of the study rooms of the palace. A candle lit the room as he sat by the desk to read one of the books that he had easily found in the shelf. It was a history book, featuring accurate records of Equestria's history. He was thoroughly enjoying every paragraph that he read.

After a few minutes of focused reading, he glanced out the window and spotted Luna in her room's balcony as she gazed down to the land and guarded the palace.

_Well, there she is... Dutiful as ever, isn't she? It's been no time at all, yet she's already caught up with the tasks._ He smiled a little and shook his head.

~~~

Luna looked around as she walked away from the balcony. She looked up when a couple of new guards approached her to issue other reports. "Oh... Go ahead. What is it?"

"Everything seems to be fine now, princess. More or less."

The light gray unicorn guard nodded. "The weather patrol is nearly done clearing the damage from the freak storm, Your Highness. What further orders should we give them?"

"Ask them to issue a fair report. We don't want things getting out of proportion. We have enough scandals to deal with as it is... Is that all?"

"Yes, Princess Luna. Nothing of further concern to acknowledge."

"Very good. Carry on." She nodded at them and walked away with a sigh.

Once she had walked far away from the guards, Luna frowned as she shivered just slightly. She looked around, but found nothing that she could deem dangerous or alarming. _I'm getting that... familiar feeling again... The same unease I felt when I first met Discord..._

She searched for the strange aura and found that it emerged from the Everfree Forest, like the earlier nights. _From the forest again...? I wonder what's going on in there..._

The sound of bells jingling startled her ever so slightly. It was as if somepony had wanted her to turn, but she found nopony around her. Instead, when she turned around and looked up, she saw Prince Modest by the window of the palace's upper wing.

_He's still up...? It must be close to midnight by now..._ She blushed and let out a small smile as she turned away to resume her walk. As her pace got a little faster, she couldn't help thinking only about how she and the prince had finally broken the ice between them not long ago.

She looked forward to another friendlier meeting, and was quite surprised by that fact.

* * *

Discord followed Miseria until he lost sight of her when she hid in the denser hedges of the forest.

He scratched his head and looked around through the area. "Hmm..." He blinked and smirked when he saw that a spot on the ground shook and even giggled. _A jolly piece of dirt, eh...?_

His fingers snapped again, and made several holes appear on the ground. Then he flicked his paw and appeared a hose to place it in the nearest hole. "Ground needs a little watering. But this should fix the problem here..."

The faucet turned with a squeak and released the flow of water from the hose. It ran into the ground and divided to flow like fountains through the holes.

Miseria laughed as she flew out of one hole with the flowing water. "Brother, I love how you cheat!"

Discord smiled again as he watched her swim in the towering water. "There you are."

She appeared next to him and kissed his cheek. "You're it!" She turned around and floated away.

He immediately floated in the air and chased after her. "You know you're not going to get very far, right?" His body turned transparent to pass through the trees.

Soon both of them were laughing joyously as they continued to play tag. To Miseria's delight, it seemed like Discord had completely forgotten anything about Celestia that could upset him... Or Celestia altogether. Miseria would not complain and try to change that.

She held herself in mid-air with her wings as Discord floated closer to her. She smirked and let him slam against her so they would fall and eventually end on the ground together.

She put a hoof on his chest and giggled slightly. "My, my. Looks like you've got me, brother."

"So it seems, hm?"

She reached up to kiss him while he regained his breath.

Once he realized what she wanted, Discord leaned closer and closed his eyes while he held her hoof with his eagle paw. When he looked into her eyes again, he realized that he was not uneasy or tense at all, at the contrary.

It was more than simple relaxation that he felt. It felt as though he was in the best dream he ever had. Even that did not make it justice.

Miseria smiled and kissed him again. As she did, the grass under her dried and withered, as did everything else around her. However, she didn't care about the dried up objects. In fact, she did not even noticed them. Discord was immune to the silent, destructive power of her magic, so nothing else around them troubled her.

As Discord continued to kiss her, he lost slight control over his own powers.

Once again, Canterlot was struck by his signature chocolate milk rain. The direction and force of the wind also increased quite a lot to drift the candy cotton clouds in different, unpredictable directions.

* * *

Celestia quickly ran to the window to see the disaster of chocolate milk that made a mess of the streets of Canterlot. "What..." She shook her head and sighed with exasperation. _This is unbelievable..._

She had just finished reading Discord's letter, and was in the middle of feeling conflicted about it when the complaints began all over the city, flowing better than the chocolate milk.

"Oh, Discord, what is it now...?" She stared at the disaster for a bit longer, then sighed and turned away. "I can't believe this. You send this to me and days later you make something troublesome again...?"

Before she stepped out of the room to try to fix the problem, she decided to read the letter again. _It won't solve any problem, but... Well... I don't know. Why am I reading it, really...?_

'...sometimes getting things done the easy way may seem like the better choice...'

Well, of course, this is coming from Discord. Celestia raised an eyebrow as she continued reading.

_'...one might... trust that whatever we want will come easy to us because we will it to be easy.'_

The Sun Princess shook her head. _Wrong thoughts as always. This is what makes me wonder if he ever really learned..._ She blinked when she came across the next paragraph. She noticed that the letter changed from that very paragraph, so she decided to read it carefully.

_'However, that's not always the case with some other situations and things... In some occasions, one's honest hard work can produce results...'_

"...'that help give value to what things we treasure the most'." She looked up from the letter with shocked amazement. _It can't be... He... He couldn't..._

The flood of chocolate rain was nearly completely ignored as Celestia stood in shock as she pondered his unexpected message.

"Dis... Discord... Could you possibly have meant...?"

Miseria smiled and nuzzled against Discord once the kiss was over. "That was great, big brother." She turned away slightly to hide her blush. "It's one of the best feelings I've ever had..."

"I have to say, that kiss was not at all half bad."

"What? _Half-bad?!_" She frowned a bit, then relaxed as she saw him chuckle. "If you say so..." She took a deep breath and gave him a slightly seductive look as he leaned against his side to cuddle. "I'm sure I can make you change your mind, right? I mean, this feeling, it was... It was so new..."

He laughed again as he caught her blushing. "Oh, dear Miseria, there's so much to discover about you yet, isn't there?"

_Oh, you can say that again-_ She opened her eyes a bit wider as his tail brushed tenderly brushed against her neck and interrupted her from her thoughts. "B-Brother!" She couldn't help but giggle as he wrapped his tail closer around her.

"That's right, so much more. You really are an endless box of surprises..."

"Heh... You think so? I should say the same about you." She blew on his ear and giggled as he shook his head. She then watched him yawn with a curious look. _Hmm..._

"Big brother, you look so tired. Why don't you rest for a bit?" She tapped her hoof on the air and looked down as her magic worked on the ground.

Feather and cotton pillows appeared under them. She shifted on the comfortable little bed for a bit, then looked at Discord as he hardly even noticed the change on the ground's texture.

The exhaustion of Applejack's work took its toll for the night; so much that he could barely keep his eyes open anymore. He laid down and rested his head on his claw and paw as he looked up at Miseria.

"So keep... telling me about..." He stammered between yawns while his eyes began to close again.

Miseria gently put her hoof over his head and watched him fall asleep. "That's right, big brother. You get some rest, you deserve it." She raised her alicorn wing and draped it softly over his body.

"...time during... The Dark Land..."

She ignored Discord's weak attempts at questions as she looked up at the palace that stood well past the Everfree Forest. That's it, just a little longer, Discord. Good boy."

Her sharp eyesight easily saw through the trees and the distance. She had absolutely no problem watching Celestia as she anxiously paced around in her room.

"Good boy." _Look at that. There's the famous Princess of the Sun. Celestia, hm? Interesting..._

She stared at the princess for a few more seconds, then thought of something that played with her curiosity until she could not hold it to herself any more. "...Brother?"

"Hm...?" Discord muttered sleepily, his eyes already closed.

After she received the single syllable, nonword reply, Miseria simply carried on to her question. She spoke quietly and stood completely still so she would not wake him. "Do you love me?"

Her eyes never left the window as she patiently awaited his drowsy answer.

'Love' was quite unknown to Miseria herself-she knew of it about as much as Discord did when he was her age, a thousand years and some centuries ago. However, she did know that if Discord gave her the answer that she expected, she would have some kind of powerful advantage.

For what, she did not yet know or understand. Whatever it was the princess attempted to compete for, Miseria now held points over her, and that knowledge pleased the very basic of her instincts.

_So go on, brother. Tell me who you love..._

Discord yawned again as his body relaxed further. "I... I..."

She was a bit surprised when he heard his loud snores. She looked at him and watched him turn on his side. "...Oh, brother..." _Of all times he could choose to conk out on me..._

His dreams eventually became nightmares as his actions with Miseria and his memories and wishes of Celestia started a conflict within himself. "Nhh... W-wait... Just..."

Miseria shook her head and quickly got over the disappointment of being left with no satisfactory answer. "Well... It could be-huh?" She noticed that he tossed and turned and even mumbled in his sleep, seeming a bit upset and troubled. "Oh, my..."

"Th-that's not... Not what I..."

"Shh. Easy, brother. Easy. Let's see..." She patted him with her hoof to try to calm him down. _Let's see, what to do here...? Oh, yeah! There's that soothing song-that lullaby or something. Good thing I walked around the forest while he was absent... How'd that pegasus' song go? Ah, something like this..._

She cleared her throat and held Discord with her alicorn wing as she got ready to sing. _"Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed..."_

Discord sighed and relaxed little by little. "I want..."

"It's alright. Just go to sleep, okay? You've done more than enough now, a real good job. You deserve some good rest now, don't you?"

"I... deserve..." His claw fell limp at his side as he started to breathe evenly again.

She kissed his cheek and patted his head again. "Don't worry, brother. I'll take care of you. I'll make your troubles go away soon enough. Just you wait-I'll make you happy again." She smirked and glared up at Celestia's window. "Once I fix it all, nopony will trouble you. Ever again. I promise."

He nuzzled against Miseria as her voice put him in a much deeper sleep, free of nightmares. He smiled and chuckled as Miseria replaced all of Celestia inside his dreams.

She slowly eased herself away from Discord. "Okay..." She lifted his lion paw off her very gently. "Shh, shh, shh... Easy, now. Keep sleeping, good boy. Sleep is a wonderful thing, isn't it?"

She was careful not to wake him, though it was hardly necessary. She knew he would be deep under for the rest of the night._Okay, let's make use of this good time. He won't see, hear, or feel a thing. Good._

A smirk crept upon her face as she immediately started to use her magic on her surroundings. _Gotta keep practicing... I have to be the best if I want to make sure that Discord always has a good time, right?_

She tried out different things and spells with her magic. She even levitated the spot where Discord slept, and shifted and altered it without disturbing him at all.

"Ooh, that's nice..." She tilted her head as she watched the ground crumble and turn into soap bubbles that still supported Discord's weight. _Eep, that's a risky one... She stepped forward as the bubbles lowered to let her stand beside him._

Discord turned over on his back while the bubbles enlarged to hold him. He snored even louder as his lizard paw twitched a bit. "Err-choc..."

Miseria watched as his claw fell on the side of the bubbles again, followed by the appearance of chunks of floating chocolate that disappeared after a few seconds. She giggled and shook her head. "Oh, brother... Just what did you do today? Look at you, you're exhausted."

The bubbles set down on the ground and turned back into dirt and feathers to cushion him. Meanwhile, Miseria did her best to move other things in the area and change them without destroying them, but her best efforts went without much success.

_C'mon, Miseria, you can't give up now... There's too much at stake!_ She sighed and frowned with determination while she extended her legs to take a stance. "Don't worry, Discord. Your little sister is going to make it all better for you in no time, you'll see."

* * *

Modest looked around as he walked down a flight of stairs in the hall, intent on looking for Luna. "Maybe the Princess won't mind some more company. Now that we're getting along better..."

Celestia also descended the stairs to head to the main entrance of the palace. She had decided to find Discord and question him about the rain that had struck the city. _Ended up flooding the city, one way or another... So strange... He'll have plenty to clean up, that's for sure. Oh, Discord, don't you think your nice letter will lessen the talk you and I will have. You'll hear a piece of my mind once and for all._

She sighed and shook her head. _That's what the likes of Discord need, unfortunately. They need constant, stern reminders. I'll be sure to give him something he..._ Her thoughts trailed off as she spotted Modest just as he caught up with him at the door.

"Oh, hello again, Prince Modest. I see you haven't gone to bed yet." She stepped back under the palace roof to avoid the rain. Then she gave Modest a slight smile. "Got a lot on your mind?"

He bowed her head to her and returned the smile. "I was not in a mood for sleep, so I decided to find Princess Luna and keep her some company, if she won't mind." He looked up at the rain and raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure she probably will need help dealing with this.

"She and I both..." She sighed and nodded towards the door. "Go ahead and find her, then. Things should be now better between the two of you, right? I should expect you to have a good time while you sort some of these problems out."

Modest blushed a bit and glanced aside. "Of course, Princess, she... She is rather interesting. Your sister. I mean-"

"No need for elaborations, Prince, I know what you're talking about. She's quite a sweetheart once you get to know her, isn't she?"

"I do agree. She's something. Well, in the sense of-"

"Pardon the interruption, but I'm searching for someone as well. It's rather important-but don't feel obliged to help me. I want you to go help my sister. Just... I don't suppose you've seen Discord, have you?"

"I'm afraid not. I'll have to admit that I last saw him some days ago, talking with Twilight Sparkle. I believe they were on their way out of the city, but I'm not sure. I'm sorry I can't assist you further, Princess."

"It's alright, Prince Modest, don't worry about it. I'll figure it out and clear this up."

Modest bowed his head again and appeared an umbrella, which he held over him with his light red magic aura. He took careful steps to walk out of the castle, into the gardens.

Celestia watched him until he was out of sight. She then turned around and decided to take another route inside the palace. "What's all of this about...? I really don't understand, Discord... Just what are you up to?" _I know that he enjoys not making sense, but this is getting... It's just getting ridiculous..._

~~~

Miseria smirked and chuckled as she appeared above Modest. She glanced around the gardens and the city that stretched out past the palace grounds.

_Ugh, Canterlot's uglier than I thought. It's in serious need for changes, that's for sure. Ahh, but those will come later..._ Once she saw where Modest was going, she teleported to one spot in the gardens that was not very far from the prince, but out of the guards' or anypony else's sight.

Then she cleared her throat and started to sing with her most alluring voice.

Her spell reached Modest in no time and quickly cast itself upon him. He did not find the will to ignore the voice that called to him to lead him away from the palace windows.

He groaned as the charming voice continued. His head felt dizzy as the chant hypnotized him. He could now hear his name called in between the steady, soothing vocalizing that enveloped him.

Before he knew it, his mind collapsed under, replaced only by vague awe that made him drag himself to where the voice led him. "Such a... beautiful... voice..."

_"Come, Prince Modest... I'm waiting..."_

Modest continued to stumble forward. However, his horn emitted a faint glow that made him trip over the stones that stood out on the road. "Ngh... Wh-What..." He started to look around in a daze. "Where is...?"

_"Come, Prince Modest... Don't keep me waiting... Don't you want to see me?"_

"I... I had to..." Modest shook his head as the singing continued, and he was hardly able to resist. "That... voice..." His eyes closed a bit and glowed with different colors as his mind collapsed again.

Miseria giggled and kept singing until the dazed prince reached her. She noticed that he was only mostly under her spell, but some part of his mind still struggled. _Wow, he actually has some will..._

She smiled sweetly and spoke in a kind voice. "You're finally here. I've been waiting for you, Prince Modest, of the West Kingdom." She remained sitting down with the cover of the shadows and the bushes. However, she still gleamed a bit under the moonlight while he stared at him.

Modest grunted as he tried to fight the effect of her voice, but quickly stood on the losing end, despite the fact that she was not singing anymore. "Who... Who are... you...?" He could not make himself move, and could barely speak regardless of his efforts.

As his mind faded in and out of focus, he tried to study the creature that stood before him through his fading mind. Though she was of odd appearance, Modest could pay no attention to that, only noticing her beauty instead. "Y-You're..."

Miseria smiled again as she walked closer to him. "Easy now, my prince..."

"Who... are..."

She covered his mouth with her hoof. "Shh. That's not something that you need to know, Modest." She tilted her head to observe him as his body began to relax, his eyes drooping a bit as the echo of her singing voice continued to drift in the air, like a lullaby.

"Hm. You seem like such a nice prince. Surely you'll comply with each and every request I have of you?" She sat in front of him and tapped his face while he tried to fight off the daze.

"I..." He looked up at her as he groaned, and noticed how gently her mane flowed around him while she hummed just a bit. He could feel his body relaxing again against his will, as though the singing echo coupled with her soft speaking voice put him to sleep.

"You'll obey me, won't you?"

_I... I can... obey..._ He shook his head, but groaned again when he held his chin with her hoof. "Wait... Stop... That... Ngh, that... n-noise..." He began to trail off as he felt himself drifting under the singing.

"Relax for me. You can do that much. Just relax... Nothing wrong with that..." She smiled a little and leaned closer as she resumed her melody in a gentle, slow tone.

"Rel... Relax..." Modest's eyes dropped a bit as they glowed with rings of different colors. "I want to..."

"Relax, yes. Being a prince must surely be so stressful... Let me help you, Prince Modest... It'll be okay... You can feel yourself drifting off, don't you? Oh, a nap will definitely be wonderful..."

"But..."

She smiled with anticipation as Modest began to nod off. "Yes... A nice, calming, deep, deep sleep... It's nighttime, everypony should sleep... Don't fight it... Clear your mind... Focus on me..."

She slowly looked away as he swayed with fatigue. "Focus on me, only me... Sleep it all away, think nothing..." She stood beside him to watch him as he tried to open his eyes again. She only held his head and turned him to face him, which hypnotized him further.

He sighed and relaxed more as his eyes nearly closed completely. "On..."

Miseria smiled and nuzzled against the side of his face, making him blink very slowly and stagger again. "You'll do everything I say. Won't you, Prince Modest? It's such a simple little thing. An honorable prince like you wouldn't leave a mare waiting, would he?" She fluttered her eyelashes and giggled as she lifted a hoof to her mouth.

"I-I..." He shook his head as the colorful rings in his eyes began to vanish. "A spell... I... I-I must..." His horn glowed again as he tried to make his mind think of a spell. "You... You will not... en-enchant me...!"

Miseria let out a laugh as she let go of Modest and watched him stagger. "Oh, wow. You're a little stronger than I thought! But it's no use, cutie." She tapped his chin and watched him try to back away while he growled. "I've already got you. All I'm doing is letting you have a loose end of the leash. But that's over. Too much freedom for you."

Her horn glowed. She tapped his forehead with it and smirked as Modest immediately froze while the light tangelo magic flowed through him. "There you are, just as it should be... Can you hear me now?"

Modest nodded slowly, his eyes half-closed and glowing with her magic. "Yes..."

"Will you obey me? Every command that I give you? Even if I am not there to give it?"

"Yes... Yes, mistress, I will obey... Everything..."

"Good. This one really works." Miseria stepped away from him and tapped his face with her hoof. "I've got a few things for you to do. I want you to obey them to perfection, understand?"

"Yes, mistress. Whatever you..."

"Listen!" Miseria smiled and winked as she turned around to look at him. "You'll forget about this little interest of yours, in Luna. From now on, you'll be madly in love with her much prettier big sister, Celestia."

"Yes..."

"You'll do everything in your power to show your affection for _Celestia_, at any moment that you can. Especially when a certain draconequus named Discord is around. Don't you ever let your guard around him. He wants to steal Princess Celestia away from you."

"I won't let him... I will... I... L-Luna..."

"Just so you don't steer away from this little request of mine..." She zapped him on the back with her sparking tail, sealing the spell as he cried out and fell on the ground.

Modest groaned and held his head as the energy ran through him again.

She smiled and lifted him up in the air while she watched him groan in pain. "Don't you question me. You're nothing but my cute, princely puppet right now. Puppets don't talk back, they do what they're told. So don't you dare talk back to me. It isn't your mind to use anymore. Understand?"

Modest slowly stood up once she dropped him. He bowed his head as his eyes continued to glow with her magic. "Yes, mistress... I understand..."

"Alright. Now... Tell me who you love..."

"Princess Celestia, my mistress. I must do all in my power to win her heart... I will not let her... get away..."

Miseria giggled. "Who do you obey, Modest?"

"You, Mistress Miseria. I will keep this a secret from everyone else. No one will know."

"Yes! And you'll do everything I say. Won't you, my doggie?"

Modest panted and barked like a dog, crouching on the ground to bow to her while he wagged his tail. "Yes, Mistress, I'll do everything you say."

"You're not the only one who can get a pet, brother. See? This one's much cuter than your earlier dogs." She patted Modest's mane as he walked towards the palace while carrying her in his back.

"I will be sure to keep Princess Celestia to myself, Mistress. Discord will not touch her."

"Yes, yes, I expect that good result. Now get to it, my little pony. First thing in the morning, you hear?"

Modest nodded as Miseria teleported off his back.

"Okay... My brother's most definitely going to have breakfast here at this ugly palace of hers." She looked up at the palace with disdain.

"I shall be there, Mistress." He lowered his head to let Miseria pet him.

"Good boy." She looked around, then smiled. "Modest, I have a final request for you."

"Whatever you wish, Mistress."

"After this, I want you to act normally, Modest. But still remember what I ordered you."

Modest nodded and wagged his tail, obeying Miseria as he commanded him to sit.

* * *

Another featuring Miseria and Modest, yay!

This turned out being eleven pages. I'll warn you that the next one will only be four. That is because if I had put both chapters together, it would have been about fourteen pages. Way too long.

I really enjoyed this chapter over here. Miseria's quite the hypnotist, isn't she? This chapter made me laugh as I improvised and edited some parts of it. For example... I added the all-new part where Miseria toys around so much with Modest. Initially it was much shorter, but Miseria being who she is most definitely would have wanted to toy and manipulate someone as she did.

If you're wondering what it is she ordered the poor Modest... You'll probably laugh your butts off when you find out. I'll elaborate on _that_ in the next chapter as much as I can.

This chapter explains a few things about Miseria... Things I want to clarify. By now you all must have noticed that her powers are a bit more... destructive than Discord's.

It's _not_ because she has poor control over them, at the contrary. At the contrary because Chaos is not the element of her magic _at all_. But that's all I can say, though some of you may have already figured out what's going on with her powers. I'll drop another hint: Miseria has strength (in her power), Discord has experience. That's all I can say because future chapters will reveal the true difference between their powers and abilities.

Another thing... Discord and Miseria are NOT really siblings. Sure, Miseria sees him as a big brother, but... That takes me to another explanation I must give. You see, Miseria has no clear concept of relationships and affections. She doesn't know what 'love' is, exactly, and much less knows all the different kinds of love that there are in the world. If she _thinks_ she feels love, then it's the general love that defines the word most of the time: romantic love.

At this moment, she can only express her love and affection for the beloved part of her life that Discord has become with romantic love. I will not say whether or not she's romantically interested in Discord because that would spoil it. There are many possibilities in this relationship for me to tease you with, aren't there?

She could develop romantic feelings for him after she learns about them, and would have shown her affection of love this entire time, or she could learn the balance of the different kinds of love and tone down her display of affection later on. You guys have already imagined whether or not she really loves Discord-don't let her ignorance on love stop you from believing what you want. Let the future chapters stop you from believing what you want-when the evidence is shown. XD

This, that explained, there is no incest here. Not exactly. Miseria's not overdoing it on purpose. She hasn't been in that world for very long, the Dark Lord gave her no lessons on emotions.

Her negative feelings are also on a _very_ sharp and high scale, I must say. You won't find it surprising if she tries to destroy Equestria because she got a little jealous, will you? Yeah, me neither. She reminds me of pixies/fairies: they're so small, they can only feel one emotion at a time.

And just as a bonus, Miseria kept alternating between her age forms, I just didn't specify it in the chapter and am too lazy to go add that detail. Where and when she changed, you guys imagine it. But during the kiss and the hypnosis, she definitely was in her adolescent alicorn form.


	12. Doggone Master Plan

**Doggone Master Plan**

Two guards finished their scouting rounds once the weather patrol reported to them. They walked to their assigned spot at the gate entrance, but were stopped by a servant that ran over to them.

"Y-you gotta come and see this. M-maybe you can do something..." The pony spoke breathlessly as the guards gave him confused looks.

"What's the problem?"

They were interrupted when they heard a dog barking in the distance.

"...A dog got in the palace?"

"Great, just what we need..."

"Yes. I-I mean, no!" The servant shook his head. "It's not really like that..."

"We don't have time for that. We have to tend to the royals. Get somepony-"

"Th-that's just it! It's no dog! Please just come and see for yourselves!"

The guards unwillingly followed the servant pony until they reached one of the gardens.

To their surprise, they found Prince Modest digging a wreck out of the expensive beds, followed by intently chasing some of the complaining gardens.

"Uhh... Prince Modest...?"

Modest's ears perked up at the sound of his name, and he stood upright. He barked again and joyously tackled the guards. "Hi! Good you showed up! Let's do something! Do something!"

"Wait-"

"Good to see friends! Friends! We're going to do lots of things, right? I'm sick of this garden." He smiled and licked one of the guards. "C'mon, think of something!"

The guard opened his eyes a bit wider with surprise and confusion. _What the hay...?!_ He rubbed his face and gave Modest a look as the prince ran and played around the garden.

"P-Prince Modest! What's-"

"Walk! Walk! Let's go, let's go! Walk!"

"What in Celestia's name-"

Modest panted and tried to chase after the servant pony, but was pulled out by his cape by the other confused guard. "What! What, that-"

"Prince Modest, are you feeling okay?"

"Okay! Bored! Wanna-walk! Let's go! Play-"

The guards looked at one another.

"He probably hit his head earlier or something..." One of them looked at Modest again as he stubbornly tried to dig a hole on the ground, growling at the gardener.

One of the gardeners was practically fuming as Modest snatched his hat and started to bite it. "He's done lost his mind! Get him out of here-it took me months to get this garden up!"

Another gardener fought the urge to slap Modest with a newspaper while he tried to talk reasonably with him. "Er, young prince, just-just leave those-"

"No! Gotta dig, there's... There's something here! I can smell it!"

"Uh... Right. Your Highness-"

Modest barked at the gardener and continued digging.

"Your Highness, how about we get you in bed? Need some rest, probably..."

Modest urgently hopped in his hooves before he looked at the ground again. "No! No bed! I'm not tired! Bones, bones-there's bones here! I want them!"

"Uh... What?"

"That's crazy! Get this nutcase out of here before I call the Princess!"

"Prince Modest, please just come with us, the easy way. This isn't right, you're..."

"...A dog...?"

Modest nodded eagerly. "Yeah! I-I got-I have a name!"

"Well... Yeah, obviously. But-"

"Owner! Owner! Have owner, here! Play-play!" He panted and pointed to his neck, where he had appeared a black collar. He wagged his tail and smiled proudly. "Owner-thing-"

"Maybe we should call the princesses or a doctor. Whatever he got, he's got it real bad."

"There's no tag there, sir. Just-listen, it's not like... Um, you're a prince, sir. You'll have to behave as such and stop this craziness that you..."

Modest frowned. "A... what? 'Prince'? No-dog, always-always been a dog!" He smiled and chased one of the rabbits while he barked at it. He then stopped and began to scratch behind his ear with his hind hoof, much to the others' shock and dismay.

The other guard slapped his forehead with his hoof. "This isn't gonna work. I'm through with this... Alright, that's enough. HEEL!"

Modest yelped a bit and skidded to a stop. He blinked and looked at the guards with wide, surprised eyes.

"Alright, good, Prin-Modest. Now, sit."

Modest smiled and obeyed the command while still paying attention to them.

The unicorn guard smirked as he levitated a stick. "Got an idea... I really don't want to deal with this, so here's something that might fix the problem..." He looked at the stick as Modest grew restless again.

"What's that for?"

"What do you think?" The unicorn guard looked at Modest with a big smile. He wiggled the stick in front of the prince-dog with his magic. "Here, boy. You see this? Wanna play fetch, boy?"

Modest barked and crouched while wagging his tail. "Fetch! Fetch! Throw it, throw it!"

"Alright, Modest. Okay, prince, dog, pony thing... You want it, boy? Want it, Modest? Go get it, boy!" The guard made a long throw and watched Modest chase after the stick.

The guards both watched as Modest crashed against the tree that he had not seen and fell on the ground.

"...You realize you won't hear the end of it if he ever finds out?"

"Eh, might be drunk or something."

"He didn't seem drunk..."

"Well, then the hit probably won't let him remember." The unicorn guard nodded at the other and walked towards Modest just as he groaned and pushed himself up.

"Ugh... Wha..." Modest winced and rubbed his head with his hoof as he swayed a bit. He noticed the stick in his mouth and spit it out. "Oww... What happened...?"

"Um... You tell us, Your Highness."

"Are you feeling alright now, sir?"

Modest tried to stand up a couple of times, but only succeeded after the third, once his head stopped spinning. "Feeling... what? What do you mean...? My... My head hurts..."

"Maybe we should take you to the infirmary, sir. You took quite a hit there."

Modest frowned as the guards helped him up. "Yeah... I, uh... Gentlecolts... Wasn't I at... Um..." He looked around at the messy garden. "Oh, what happened here...?"

"It's okay, sir, you take it easy. It's been a long night."

"A long night... Yes... I was..." He frowned again as he staggered beside the guards. He started to feel dizzy as he tried to remember what had happened since he left the palace. "Walked... looking for... Um, don't..."

"You don't remember, Prince?"

"Guess that's the concussion right there..."

"I... So... T-tired..." He groaned and fell aside. He was out cold and unresponsive when the guards caught him and carried him to the palace without saying another word.

Miseria giggled and laughed while floating in the air. She watched as the guards entered the palace. "Go on, then, little doggy puppet. You remember your place and what you have to do." She chuckled again and teleported away, appearing right outside the window of Celestia's room.

~~~

She frowned as she flew over to it and watched Celestia with an annoyed look.

She was shocked and disgusted to find that everything in the Sun Princess' room was neat, beautiful, and orderly, just like its goodie-goodie sweet and perfect owner. Not the slightest disarray in the room or her person was found.

Miseria glanced up at Celestia again and saw that she was still radiant... Despite it being night time, and midnight, and that Celestia had gone practically without sleep again, for two nights in a row.

She narrowed her eyes and watched the alicorn read over old 'diary' scrolls that she had written.

Celestia sighed and set the scrolls aside. "Discord... I feel... I feel we probably need to talk about this... Maybe the rightful time has come, and we will finally speak maturely... Get this cleared up once and for all... I don't think it can wait much longer."

She lifted his letter and smiled while she held it close to her. "You... really are changing, aren't you...?"

Miseria gasped and glared at the princess. _I... I made my move on Modest just in time... Not a second too soon or too late... Barely made it... Just as I thought... I knew it! I knew Celestia still felt something for Discord! Even if she's too hurt and angry to accept it..._

She shut her eyes closed and shook her head as she floated away from the window. "No. No, that can't be. I can't let that go on! She'll...!" _She'll try to get him back... He loves her-she'll use that against him and try to win him over... She'll take him away... Take him away from me!_

She turned around and took a deep breath as she composed herself. "...Hmph. Well, we'll see if it's so easy for you to get back with him. You only hurt him and try to change what he is. I don't. I love Discord just the way he is-for all he is! He is the most wonderful creature, the most wonderful brother in all worlds..."

She smirked and glanced at Celestia over her shoulder. "Heh. I'll show you how to truly please him. Oh, I'll show you soon enough, _Princess!_" She tapped her hoof and disappeared just before Celestia turned around to look at the window.

~~~

She huffed a bit as she appeared back in the Everfree Forest. She panted a bit and walked through the dark-looking grass. "Alright... Let's keep going..."

She watched with disappointment and a bit of sadness as the mentally broken and destroyed creations of hers scattered away or disappeared.

Her head lowered a bit as she continued thinking. "...I'm not gonna get it right, am I..."

She glanced up at Discord with sad eyes, watching as he still slept soundly, even among all the destructive chaos that she had wrecked over the area. "Discord... I'll never... I'll never be good enough..."

She remembered when Discord played and talked with her earlier. Ever since they met, he had accepted and encouraged her to accomplish her goals. Ever since she could remember, she had known him as a master in his magic-a wonderful, skilled master in Chaos that could bend everything to his will, and needed nothing and no one but chaos to be happy.

_I'll never be good enough... Not for Chaos..._

She looked at Discord again, then frowned after a few seconds and shook her head. "No. I don't need to be _good_. I'll be whatever he wants me to be. I'll be whatever I have to be for Chaos. And Chaos doesn't do _good_, now, does it? Chaos does bad! I have to be so bad I end up a good mistress of it, too! Brother will teach me all I need to have good skills and be a very, very bad Chaos girl."

She giggled as she watched a painted butterfly flutter in the air before turning to glittery ashes once it touched her hoof. "I _will_ get it right. I'm the Queen of Chaos, after all. I'll get it eventually. Big brother's going to help me. I'll have everything I need!"

The sun slowly started to rise, and Miseria yawned as she watched the sky change colors. _Hm... I don't have a very accurate perception of time in me, do I...? I can't believe it's been hours spent in all of this..._

She walked back to Discord. She looked down at him for a moment before she turned in place and laid down right beside him, cuddling up to him.

_You're not going to leave me for that goodie princess... Are you, brother? I'm not going to let you leave me._ Her eyes closed slowly as she smiled. _We'll be together forever... As Queen and King..._ She laid her head on his paw and was soon fast asleep, mumbling slightly in her sleep as Discord's snores surrounded them.

* * *

I really chuckled to myself as I improvised the all-new part where Modest turns into a dog by Miseria's hypnosis. It was so cute and funny... Man, I so wish I could draw. I'd totally draw the cool OC in such a compromising situation. I don't think it'll do him much good that _he_ doesn't remember...

That was a bit of a message from Miseria. She plans to have all royalty whining for walks and games of fetch, if they ever dare cross with her beloved brother Discord.

...Who got the vibe that getting on her bad side would be dangerous? You got it the moment you saw her (or, read about her)? You got it right! Seems real dangerous, doesn't it? I'm starting to feel bad for Celestia...

But you don't get in Miseria's bad side in any way. She doesn't just turn you into a vase... She might make this whole little scheme where you or your loved ones end up hypnotized into messed-up things... Your home ends up flooded and then some... And... After all that, she might turn you into a vase. Creepy, vengeful thing, Miseria-don't you cross her!

At least, she's a dedicated, loving, protective sister. She's smart, cunning, and knows what she wants. Is determined to get it and knows the strings she's got to move to do so. Also, I'll mention that she seems to learn from others' mistakes. Just sayin'.

I want a Modest dog-prince.


	13. No Patience

**No Patience**

As the morning rose, Discord woke up earlier than Miseria. He glanced at her before he stared at her failed creations with another odd look and a raised eyebrow.

He chuckled and shook his head as he snapped his fingers and disappeared the wrongdoings.

After he stood up and stretched himself, Discord gave Miseria's sleeping form a tender smile. He kissed her cheek and appeared a blanket over her. "I'll see you tonight, my dear." He petted her head when she snuggled into the blanket, then snapped his fingers and teleported away.

~~~

Prince Modest woke up in a daze, looking around his room. "What..."

A nurse walked into the room, followed by a maid. "Ah, you're awake, Your Highness."

"What happened...?" Modest blinked and touched the bandage wrapped around his head.

"Please don't move too much. The guards said you took quite a blow to the head last night, or something like that. Do you think you could explain some of it?"

"A... A hit? I don't... I don't remember getting..."

"It's okay, don't worry about it. You seem to be alright for the most part. Just get some rest and tell me if you're in any pain." The nurse set her clipboard down on the table to read the reports.

Modest winced and held his head again. "Ngh... It..."

"Oh, does your head hurt, Prince Modest?"

"It... It feels..." He relaxed a bit and groaned as his eyes glowed a light tangelo. "I'm fine..."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I just remembered that there's something important I have to do."

"R-right now? But-"

"Yes! Right now! I'm fine, so you're no longer needed here. Get out, I must focus entirely on this!" Modest got up from the bed and quickly walked across the room.

The nurse gave him an odd look before she walked to the door. "Alright... Whatever you say, Your Highness. But do remember to take it-"

He looked at the maid that jumped when he startled her with his slightly-raised voice. "You! Make sure that my best cloak is ready by the time I meet the Princess for breakfast. I can't go down without my best!" He raised a bundle of clothes and quickly entered his closet.

"Y-yes, sir!" The maid caught the cloaks and ushered out of the room quickly.

He walked out as he finished tying a dark blue cloak around his neck. "This will have to do. I can't keep her waiting." He took off the bandage and looked at the mirror to comb his mane before he put his crown on. "It would be a shame to keep her waiting... Not on the breakfast that she will gracefully host on my honor..."

He turned around and smiled determinedly as he walked out of the room. "My beloved Princess Celestia... Don't worry, you will be mine before long."

A few servants watched the prince as he headed to the dining room. They glanced at one another and shrugged-some of them even made crazy gestures with their hooves.

~~~

Celestia yawned as she made her way down the hall. She had only slept for a few hours since she raised the sun for the morning. "Ngh... This isn't good. I must take a nap sometime today if I can..."

She frowned a bit as she thought of the reports she had received nearly as soon as she woke up. _According to the guards and the doctors, Modest had a very strange behavior last night... Or rather, some hours ago... I hope it was nothing serious. Maybe it was just a slight exaggeration. There was a lot to do last night, he may have been tired from helping..._

With another covered yawn, she turned around the corner and put on her best smile as she wearily greeted the working servants that walked by her. _Lots of rumors must be coming and going, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was another one. Modest is fine. Everypony is..._

* * *

Fluttershy smiled when Discord arrived at her cottage. "Good morning, Discord!"

Discord smiled and patted her head as she walked over to greet him. "You look as good as ever. Where's that pet bunny of yours? Bet he's having a good morning, too."

She chuckled a bit. "It's nice of you to worry about him. You seem to have rested well."

"I'll admit, it was a great deal of rest. I haven't slept that well in ages!"

"I was told that you worked really hard yesterday. At Applejack's farm?"

"Ooh. Rumors go by very fast these days, don't they?"

"Well, I'm sure it was no rumor. Right?"

"No, not really. I really did feel like giving that farming workaholic a claw. Or paw. Whatever strikes your fancy. But just for a little while, though. And she better not get used to it."

"Well, it's great that you did that, Discord. I am very, very proud of you. I'm happy that you took that step on your own, you must have made quite an effort in your labor. I look forward to the good results."

"How kind of you, Fluttershy. It was exhausting to say the least. I'm not sure that the letter I sent Celestia may have such positive results at all..."

"You sent a letter to Princess Celestia? Oh, how nice! She must have been quite excited to read it."

"You think so?"

"I'm sure of it. I would definitely want to read all about what you have learned. Whatever it was you wrote, I'm sure she enjoyed it quite a bit." Fluttershy nodded as he scratched his head.

"Ehh... Well, that brings us to the other point. Doing all of that unnecessary work, and writing that troublesome letter let me think a few things more positively. You know, there might be some hope left for what I want to do, after all."

"Then it must be something good, right? What you want to do. I suppose it involves Princess Celestia?"

"Good guess, Fluttershy! Such a bright friend I have."

"Well, it's just you show quite an interest in-"

"I got an idea! Why don't you join me today for breakfast in Canterlot?"

"Today? In Canterlot?"

"Yes! But not just anywhere in Canterlot... In the palace! That's where the good breakfast are served. Or it better be there. Otherwise I'd shudder to think what those princesses eat every day."

"The palace? Oh, Discord, we can't take the Canterlot Palace lightly."

"Why not? It's just a huge location filled with the concentrated essence of boredom. It's where the princess happen to be every day of their lives, save for some rare occasions-"

"But, what if the princesses are busy? We can't have breakfast without them, it's their home. It would be rude to walk in uninvited and disturb-"

"Who said we're going to have breakfast without them? Please, Fluttershy, that would be rude! We're going to walk in on them and invite ourselves to spend the morning with them, chatting away and stuff! They definitely need some socialization with us, don't you think?"

"But-"

"I can't wait to see both of them, but it won't be proper if I go on my own. You have to come with me. They'll be delighted to have you tag along! Honest!"

Fluttershy sighed and smiled. "Okay... Sure, I'll go with you. There's not much to worry about here. I just fed Angel bunny and the other critters, so they should be alright until the afternoon."

She smiled as he picked her up in his arms. "I suppose the visit is going to be nice, right?"

"Oh, definitely! We'll show up at the front door and everything! We'll even introduce ourselves while standing right in front of them!" _I __**could**__ just startle them... I usually do that, right? But..._ He sighed and shook his head. _She's right-it has to be nice. I'm trying to behave, after all. With Celestia, anyway... Oh, this all just sounds ridiculous..._

Fluttershy waved at her critter friends as Discord began to float away. "You be good, now! I promise I won't be long. Remember to look after each other if you go to the forest. And-"

"Fluttershy, dear, we really won't be in the palace for long. It's just breakfast, remember? Just chatting with the princesses." _I have to make sure that they're in a good mood when we meet. Ohh... Who would have thought the Master of Chaos would try hard to make a proper introduction? How laughable._

~~~

Discord let Fluttershy go once they stood at the entrance of the palace. He gave her an anxious smile as they walked past the guards, into the decorated entrance pavillion. "Here we are, Fluttershy. I'm sure Celestia will be around any minute, so we can just go on and head to the dining room, alright?"

Fluttershy nodded and followed him through the spacious hall. She looked up and saw Celestia as she walked the stairs. "Oh, look, she's right there. What a coincidence. It looks like we made it in time."

"Yes... It does, doesn't it..."

Celestia covered her mouth with her hoof as she yawned again. _Oh, I have to stop doing that..._

She hadn't heard any notice of new arrivals, much less Fluttershy's quiet voice as she spoke downstairs. She did, however, see them once she reached the lower floor. "Oh-Discord. Fluttershy. You're..."

Fluttershy bowed and greeted the princess with her kindest, softest tone. "Good morning, Princess Celestia. I do hope our visit doesn't trouble you. I know it's a bit unexpected, but..."

Celestia shook her head and smiled at Fluttershy. "Oh, of course not. You're more than welcome here. I'm on my way for breakfast, you're in pretty good time. Then again, those schedules hardly change during the years, when there's not much to do."

She chuckled and glanced at Discord. "I think I must owe the impeccable timing to you? I did not expect you to memorize the castle routine and schedules all those years ago. I must say I'm impressed."

She had a long debate with herself that lasted hours-and much of last night-but she decided to finally give Discord a closer chance bit by bit, starting with perhaps a direct, kinder talk with him.

Discord took a slight bow. "Some things never change, Princess." He looked up and gave her a small smile. "Others do... for the better."

Celestia's smile widened as she watched him. "Yes... Some perhaps might."

She walked down the remaining steps and looked at Fluttershy. "I think some birds got lost and managed to end up in the dining room. I wouldn't want them to upset Luna and our guest. If you'd be so kind as to please show them the way out, Fluttershy, I would very much appreciate it."

Fluttershy's face turned a bit worried. "Oh, dear. But of course, princess. I'll go right away. Please excuse me." She nodded at them and quickly walked towards the dining room.

Celestia smiled as she watched the pegasus leave. "That should give us a few minutes. I think Luna and Modest are already in there."

"Uh-huh. That's nice."

"Yes." She glanced at Discord, then sighed and shifted uncomfortably. She even managed to speak at the same time as he did.

"I wanted to-"

"Celestia, I-"

She blushed and cleared her throat. "Um, you go first." _Excellent, I can't believe I'm getting Luna's nervousness. It definitely won't help keep this leveled and mature..._

"N-no. Go right ahead, please." He berated himself for stuttering and making a fool of himself. For some reason, it was difficult to look at the princess in the eyes. He could barely bring himself to face her.

She sighed and looked down after she collected her thoughts. "I... I received your letter yesterday. I am impressed and... very happy, I'll confess, with the progress that you showed. I honestly wouldn't have thought you would do something like that, especially after your... latest visit." Leave alone everything else...

Discord chuckled nervously. "Well... It wasn't really-"

"And to make such progress with with Honesty, no less. Twilight commended you for that, and I believe I must recognize your efforts as well. Thank you for going out of your way to try so hard."

He looked at the ground, then back at her, unsure of what to say. "I... I didn't lie when I said I had been reformed, my princess. What I did so many years ago... I now understand it was wrong. Very wrong. It was ridiculous and insensible of me to think otherwise." He lowered his head in shame.

Celestia stared at him with quiet surprise in her eyes. _Discord... I'm so glad you finally..._ Her ears twitched a bit and she snapped back to his explanation as he continued to speak.

Discord looked down again and fidgeted with his claw and paw. "I also understand that I cannot amend the damage I did in the past... regardless of how desperately I wish I could."

Her eyes turned sad as she watched him. "I know. It's too bad. We'll never be able to change that. But..."

"Y-yes... At least now... I do hope that I can improve and... Well, try to make up for that. Perhaps you were right back then..."

"Back... Wait, what do you mean?" She gave him a worried look as she raised her hoof.

"Well, I remember what you said quite well... When you confronted me, after I changed."

"...Oh. That..."

"Yes. I know I discarded and ignored your words back then-I'm terribly sorry for that, Celestia. I really am."

Celestia glanced aside without saying anything.

He stared at her for a few seconds, then sighed and spoke with a more quiet tone. "...I remember every single thing you said to me back then. It tears me up that I never even took a second to consider it. But, anyway... Now I think you might be right about that. Maybe I was meant to be more than just a spirit of chaos and disharmony. See? I really did remember..."

She stared up at him with wide, surprised eyes as he tried to give her a smile. "I wouldn't have thought you would remember anything I said to you back then..."

"I pay a good deal of attention, even if it doesn't look like it. I had plenty to think about, since I couldn't do much else. Plenty of things to remember and... well, hate, back then. Now... I had a chance to reflect on them and try to understand and embrace those words better. I hope you still..."

"I believed so then and I certainly believe it now. I miss those times, too... More than you can imagine. I always have. But... After what you did... I couldn't let myself make those same mistakes. I couldn't place my subjects in danger again. But... I want you to know that I have always regretted it, Discord."

She looked up at him with sincere guilt and regret. "I have always regretted what Luna and I had to do to you. You had so many things to see during those centuries... So many things to experience... Instead, you grew up sealed in stone, and missed those experiences. You could only watch them from afar..."

Discord winced and looked away. It was his turn to be silent as she gave him a pained look. "Hmm. You can't begin to imagine what it felt like... To be-"

"I know I can't, but I've always tortured myself with the attempt of doing so. My life wasn't as happy and merry as you earlier claimed it to be. I was in pain, too, for all those centuries. I never really had the chance to fully enjoy my time, either. We were both incomplete, weren't we?"

"A poor, regrettable, melodramatic circumstance indeed. Just hearing of it makes me..." He shook his head and looked away again as she sighed.

"I wish the Elements' power had chosen something else... I hope that you can forgive us."

"Celestia, can we-"

"Please find it in your heart to forgive us, Discord... I assure you that we tried to find another way, another alternative. I even..."

"We don't have to-"

"No, we do. We do have to talk about this, Discord. Now it's me who will try to strike a civilized conversation about important things. In order to gain your forgiveness, I have to make you see that I truly tried to get you back. To make it work without having to hurt you. I..."

Discord frowned a bit as she avoided his eyes again.

"I even set my kingdom's safety aside, in hopes that you would see reason..." She smiled a little, though her expression was still sad and repentant. She closed her eyes and thought about what little she could remember of Discord's hypnosis.

He held her in his arms and hugged her tenderly to prevent her from crying. "There's nothing to forgive, Celestia. I don't need to relieve you of any guilt, you're not responsible or at fault for anything. I... I'm the one who should... ap... apol..._apologize_."

He did not care if Celestia pushed him off or said something that would hurt him. He had already been too hurt from seeing her cry before to allow her to do it again. He passed his paw gently under her eye.

She blinked in surprise, then leaned against him. "I forgive you too." She smiled.

He smiled back and let her go slowly. He whispered to her as he still held her shoulders, his eyes fixed upon hers. "I'm sure I can fix this. Let's just be patient."

"If you're so determined, Discord, I'm willing to wait. I know you'll prove yourself. I know you're true." She chuckled a bit and put a hoof on his paw.

"Well, yesterday's honesty bitter work sure paid off in the end. Who'd have thought that your snitching and your egghead student would end up being a good thing?" Discord smirked as he touched her face.

"I honestly didn't expect my information to work like that. But I'm really glad it-" She was startled when the dining room doors burst open. "What in Equestria-"

Discord frowned as he saw Modest storm out of the room, timidly followed by Fluttershy.

"P-Prince Modest, I-I really don't think you should go out right now. Um, I mean, p-please wait, I... I haven't finished t-telling you the story of how we all changed the ways of the Winter Wrap-Up."

Fluttershy frowned a bit as Modest continued to walk forward. "O-Or how we helped get water into Cloudsdale-I actually flew at the best of my ability."

Modest continued to ignore her as he kept his eyes fixed on the front.

"Th-The Hearth's Warming Eve play? Or-how my friend Rainbow Dash got into the Wonderbolts Academy, and many-Oh, p-please... Please, Prince Modest..." She whispered urgently while she followed the agitated prince down to the throne room, as neither Celestia nor Discord were to be found anymore.

Celestia looked at the two with complete surprise. "Modest? What are you..."

Modest narrowed his eyes as he turned a corner. "Do not interfere, Element of Kindness! I have other matters to attend for now, so do not disturb me."

Celestia blinked as she remembered the reports. _Modest... Maybe this has to do with..._

"Well, talk about a feisty one." Discord raised an eyebrow and gave Modest a look.

Celestia stepped forward just as Modest finally stopped to catch his breath. "Prince Modest, you need to-"

He smiled brightly at her. "My rightful princess! I have found you at last. You had left me waiting in the dining hall for so long. But that does not matter now, Princess."

Celestia glanced at the prince as he stepped closer. "Um-"

"It's about time, I must be truthful to myself."

"N-no, Prince Modest. At least, not right now. Not-"

"It was obvious, but I was a fool to ignore it. The invitation to the gala... To stay in your palace... You and I are clearly meant to be each other's-we are in love with one another!"

Celestia stared at him with wide, shocked eyes as he continued to rant passionately. "...Did you hit your head this hard, Prince Modest?" _How on earth is this happening?_

Discord could only stare at Modest while he talked and approached the princess.

Fluttershy covered her face with her wing as she blushed slightly. "Oh, goodness..."

The princess took a deep breath and looked at Modest again. She spoke with a patient tone. "Alright. I... I think you may have misunderstood things. Really, it's not like..."

Modest shoved a shocked Discord away as he rushed in front of Celestia. He held her hoof and kissed it lightly. "Come now, Celestia. Let us be together at last!" He caressed her face with his hoof.

Celestia raised an eyebrow with a confused, embarrassed expression. She tried to pull away from his grasp. "Um, Modest... I think you're confused. Things aren't like this at all... b-between us..."

Fluttershy stepped closer to Discord and whispered to him. "I had no idea Prince Modest was this direct... With Princess Celestia of all, no less..."

Luna frowned a bit as she approached the throne room. She had heard the commotion from the stairs, before she even reached the dining room hall, and had decided to investigate, since it sounded somewhat like an argument that involved Prince Modest and her sister.

"I really do wonder what hap-" She immediately stopped once she saw what was going on in the large room. She saw none other than Celestia and Modest quite close together to be deemed appropriate. He kept nuzzling and wrapping his hooves around her sister, speaking to her in the most sweetest of tones...

Exclaiming his love and feelings for Celestia at the top of his voice. With the best of feelings and passions. WIth no shame or hesitation whatsoever.

Luna remembered the good time and conversation that she and Modest had shared the night before. She had not felt so good, so understood, in ages. It was different from Celestia's comprehension. Luna thought that she had found in Modest the understanding of a friend. Or, perhaps... Perhaps even more than a friend.

But oh, how wrong had she been... How wrong, foolish, and...

She winced and stepped back, staring at the scene before her with hurt eyes. They had not even noticed that she was standing just by the entrance, witnessing everything...

_How... How pathetic! How could I let myself start thinking so far ahead... Wait a minute, ahead of what?! So ridiculous... How could I have made such a fool of myself?! I should have left him in the low place that he deserved! He didn't care about me at all. He never did. It was all for... It wasn't even for pity. The only reason why he talked to me was so that Celestia would like him even more. He knew how much Celestia cares about me. That... She opened her eyes and glared at Modest. That liar! I won't let him get away with this! By my moon, I won't!_

Celestia grimaced as Modest tried to lean closer to her. Then she gasped when Luna flew in between her and the prince. She could see that Luna was quite visibly angry. "Luna-"

Luna stepped towards Modest and shoved him back with her magic aura when he tried to get closer to Celestia again. One could measure the level of her anger in her speech, which always did return to the 'Royal We' and archaic tenses-despite her attempts to speak with more modern ways. Sometimes, she even used the Royal Canterlot Voice, too.

**"UNHOOF OUR SISTER THIS INSTANT!"**

Modest blinked and stepped back just a bit while staring at the upset Luna.

"This ist by far the most indecorous form of courtship that a royal hath ever received. Thou art undeserving of the Sun Princess-humiliating her in such an uncouth, common manner-it ist despicable!"

"Luna, this-"

"As her sister, We wilt not tolerate such display of unacceptable behavior. Princes such as thyself should know how to properly approach other rulers! That is, if thou were deserving of the title. But We see thou hath only been _born_ into the royal, prestigious family of the Western Kingdom, and is in no way possessing of the values and education that grants the position."

"Luna-"

"We wilt have the _Prince_ know that buffoons like thee art of no welcome in Equestria, sir."

"And I will have the _Princess of the Night_ know that sticks in the mud like her are none of my concern at the moment. I do not wish to address her and will have no need to do so any time soon. Now, if she could please move aside once and for all and stop wasting my time with her nonsense speech..."

Luna gasped, then growled a bit as her glare intensified. "...Do allow us to continue. We art glad that thou were brilliant enough to understand our point. Saves us the trouble of explaining ourselves any further. We thus order thee to leave the palace and the Canterlot grounds at once, Prince Modest..."

Modest frowned a bit and was ready to protest.

**"AS THOU ART NO LONGER WELCOME!"**

He grunted as Luna unleashed her magic aura and pushed him against the wall despite Celestia's protests.

"Luna, wait!" Celestia grimaced as Modest fell against the wall. She stepped closer to her sister and tried to explain things as well as she could or understood herself, but Luna would not let her.

She was blatantly ignored as Luna made her way to Modest and continued to glare at him.

"Luna, please let me-"

"Sister, it seems as though We must always be stand up for thee. No offense, but thou makest mistake after mistake regarding... visitors. He seems quite the most disgraceful of all." She raised an eyebrow as Modest returned the glare and pushed himself up from the floor in a defiant manner.

Celestia shook her head and tried to calm Luna again. "It's because it's not what you think. Luna, listen. Something really strange is happening around-"

"I've had more than enough. Out of the way, Princess of the Night!" Modest used his magic to wrap Luna in the carpet and roll her away. "Good luck getting yourself out of that!" He chuckled as screamed and rolled well out of the room.

Celestia glared at Modest as he chuckled slightly, then dared to hold her hoof and continue to sweet-talk her. "Modest, what you did just now is something that I-"

"Now... Where were we, my love?"

She frowned again. _This isn't right-Discord. He's still here, so why... Why isn't he doing anything...?! Surely he can understand that this is all wrong, right?_ She glanced around, spotting Discord in the same place that Modest had shoved him into. _There he is. I just have to-_

Before she could even open her mouth to speak, Modest surprised her even more by closing his eyes and placing his lips over hers quickly.

_Wh-what?! What is he doing?! No, no way-he can't be doing this! Not in front of-_ Celestia tried to move away, but to no avail. Modest would not budge.

Discord gritted his teeth as he glared at them and growled. "Why, you...!" There were so many thoughts in his mind, so many spells he wished to cast on them, on the palace, on Canterlot...

But the pain inside him weighed down his powers and hateful thoughts, leaving only harmless anger and frustration as he watched them.

"Discord, what are you-" Fluttershy cried out a bit as the room was surrounded by lightning that Discord cast after he let out a scream. "Discord!" She whimpered slightly as he started to float away.

"This is it for me. I won't take any more part in this. Prince Modest. Princess Celestia. You want alone time? Have it! Have as much as you wish-I won't interfere ever again!" He turned around and floated out of the palace while glaring at the ground.

Celestia ran after him, but her progress was slowed by Modest, who clung to her and tried to pull her back into the palace nearly as hard as she tried to get out. "No! Discord, wait! Listen to me! This isn't... what it looks like!" She tried to pry Modest off her and gave him a frustrated look before she searched for Discord again. "No, Discord... Listen to me, please!"

Fluttershy flew after Discord while Celestia was left behind arguing with Modest. She frowned with concern when Discord kept ignoring her despite her best attempts to calm him down. "I-I think you really should talk with the princess, Discord. She seems very much agi-"

She cried out in pain and fell on the ground once she reached the area of the forest's barrier. "Th-this again...? D-Discord, wait, I think you should really... Oh... Please, just be patient-" She dismissed the tears of pain as she tried to follow her friend and call out to him.

He didn't even look back to notice that he was leaving Fluttershy behind. "Forget it! I'm not going to make a fool of myself again! I'm tired of being humiliated like this."

"But, you're not-"

"Such an idiot, what was I thinking?! It was doomed to fail from the very beginning!"

"But you have to give it another try, Discord. It's not bound to work on the very start. Y-you have to look at this, Discord. I can't go after you. Something is keeping-"

"Enough, Fluttershy. Even you won't convince me to keep up with this foolishness. It's hopeless! It'll just waste my time again and again. I don't know why I even got into it in the beginning. My patience ran out. I'm through, Fluttershy. This-this is over!" He disappeared deeper into the forest as soon as he screamed.

"Discord, wait!" Fluttershy shook a bit as she looked up at the forest. She shivered from the frightening aura that he had left behind. _He's in so much distress... N-not just anger, it's... It's more than just that..._

She felt terrible because once again she couldn't do much else at all to help him. She wasn't there at his side to support him when she knew that he needed a friend the most. He was going through a hard time all on his own, and that broke her heart, too.

~~~

Celestia gasped as she sensed Discord's upset aura as well. She glanced up at the trees on the edge of the Everfree Forest. She didn't need to be right by the forest to detect the harmful aura anymore.

Her mind desperately raced for a solution to the many problems that had emerged in less than some hours. When that task proved to be too much and too confusing, she limited herself to at least try to find an explanation to everything that had occurred all of a sudden.

"No... This can't be happening..." She lowered her head and actually held back the urge to cry with hopelessness and frustration. _Why...? Why __**now**__?! This isn't fair... It's not fair to either of us!_

She held back a growl and sped through the gardens to head back inside the palace. Luna trailed after her without saying much, being almost as upset as she was.

"I'm going to find a way to solve this. I'll be banished from the kingdom if I let it end like this, if I let it finish us all like this! It isn't fair and I won't stand for it."

"What are you going to do, sister?"

"Find out what's wrong once and for all. I'm sick and tired of waiting around. This is no time to do so, Luna. There's so much at stake-I'm not waiting until things go out of my reach." Celestia glared ahead determinedly as she approached the entrance of the palace. "Never again." _I'm going to look at the problem in the eye and solve it for good._

* * *

This turned out pretty intense in the end... Whoa. I feel like I need to work a bit more on the whole events, though. I feel like the chapter could use more things going on while the dialogue took place. I'm not sure if you get what I mean.

I feel bad for Luna. I'm sure everyone will. Poor princess is prone to misunderstandings... But hey, this one-I can't blame her for this one. She didn't really hear much of Modest's behavior in the previous chapter and even so, she doesn't find a connection with a much more hurtful and possible issue...

That Modest may have talked to and befriended her out of pity and to score better, closer points with Celestia. Everyone wants to talk to Celestia. Everyone wants to befriend Celestia-every suitor is after Celestia. It's plausible, right? Especially if you don't know what's going on...

Good thing she didn't hold it against her sister, though. Otherwise... Eh, I didn't look forward to having Nightmare Moon back or something.

I'm not comfortable with how Discord went into the very background while Luna's confrontation with Modest occurred. That's basically what unnerves me. I know Modest's 'confession' had to be random and sudden, I am very satisfied with Fluttershy's weak attempts to catch the Prince's attention, and I even like the sappy, cheesy, redundant conversation between Discord and Celestia.

But what I DO NOT like is that he went kind of AWOL until Modest kissed her. I would appreciate it if you guys gave me an idea to somehow plug Discord during Luna's outburst. Just a bit. Even a well-placed relevant comment or reaction would be good.

Man. Celestia's down to business.


	14. Just When Everything Was

**Just When Everything Was...**

It was almost afternoon by the time Celestia returned to the palace to get a break. Despite all her investigations, she couldn't come to a conclusion that explained everything.

She sat on her throne and let out a fatigued sigh. "I'm not going to let this go, there has to be an explanation for this! A good explanation... A good reason for it to be happening."

Her eyes turned sad as she glanced down. _Just when everything was going so well..._

Discord and Fluttershy had brightened her morning when they showed up for breakfast. Their arrival gave her and Discord the chance to talk about things that desperately needed to be discussed. After their conversation, they had finally come to the point of forgiveness. Of giving one another a chance.

_It's... It was what I had wanted for centuries... What I wanted all along..._ She rubbed her eyes with her hoof. _Just when I thought everything was over... All that pain, the anguish, the burden I've carried for years... Just when I thought everything had been fixed, things... _

She shook her head and held in a small sob. _Oh, things went horribly wrong... Within seconds! I still can't believe it... How quickly and gravely things changed..._

Modest had barged in on them, and embarrassed her with a very public display of... oh, she couldn't even describe what it was-but it definitely was not 'love'. It couldn't be. She was certain that Modest did not have those feelings for him, and neither did she for him.

_But... Whatever it was... It sure did a great job at making Discord misunderstand everything... It brought him further away from me... He was so angry when he left... He might even resent me again...!_

She held a hoof over her face and tried to keep herself from crying as she remembered Discord's confused expression that soon turned to jealousy, anger, and hurt.

_I never should have even spoken to Discord in the first place... He'll be back to his old self now... He probably won't trust anypony anymore, not even Fluttershy! He'll hurt himself again, and it's all my fault. Whatever happened, I couldn't keep Discord from misunderstanding-_

She blinked and stopped herself in the middle of her thoughts. "Wait... Wait a minute..."

_Keep him from misunderstanding what?_

Well... It's obvious, isn't it? The wrong belief that Modest was in love with me, and that I loved him, of course... He misunderstood Modest's intentions... Celestia shook her head as she thought a little more. "Well, how did that happen? And why...?"

She turned around the corner of the garden to head deeper into the grounds, though she mostly ignored her surroundings during her thoughtful walk. "Why...?"

_Such strange behavior... And, if you think about it..._ She grunted a bit as she felt herself being embraced again. "Oh, Modest, not this... I thought I'd dealt with it..."

She couldn't think straight, not with Prince Modest clinging to her every five seconds to ridiculously profess his so-called _love_ for her at the top of his lungs.

She sighed in frustration, facing Modest as he recited the fifteenth poem in six minutes. "Prince Modest..." She pushed him away and grimaced when he gave her a sweet look and smile. "Ohh-snap out of it!"

"Snap out of what, my dear? I don't understand what it is you're talking about. I'm too busy thinking about how beautiful you look this time of the day, you see-"

Luna walked behind Modest silently. She lowered herself and stood in a guarded pose, ready to jump at him when the opportunity came. _I'll show you who's going to look __**beautiful**__ once I'm done..._

Celestia pointed at him. "_This!_ This is what I mean! Modest, get a hold of yourself. It isn't normal of you! You're not this bothersome, loud, or obnoxious, and... and... What happened to your interest in Luna?!"

Luna stopped in her tracks and gave them both a surprised look. Despite her surprise, she couldn't help blushing a bit. _H-his... His interest for..._

Modest laughed and waved his hoof dismissively. "This is one of the things I love about you, my darling. Your perfect sense of humor. That joke was quite a good one! You're as lively and pretty as ever-"

"No! Listen! It's not a joke, I'm dead serious! You have to come to your senses and remember! That's the reason why you approached her in the first place, isn't it?! Please-I know it was!"

Luna continued to stare at Modest as she thought about what Celestia said. _So that's... He actually does..._

Her softened attitude hardened again into boiling anger when she saw that Modest dismissed Celestia's comments and offered her flowers from a nearby vase, complementing it with flattery that was quite a bit on the heavy, sugary side.

She narrowed her eyes and stepped forward. _Oh, that blundering, pretentious, cheeky, useless banality! A miserable, useless cur is what he is!_

Celestia sighed and stepped away from Modest again. "That's it, I've had enough. Somepony must have had the nerve to slip a love potion or other while you weren't looking." She blinked as she started to get a new idea._No... It wouldn't have been a love potion, would it? None of those jokes are so strong..._

She grunted again and tried to step away from the prince. "Don't... Don't think I've forgotten about the rumors spread by the gardeners-and everypony else, Modest. They were-"

Modest chuckled and leaned beside her. "About us taking a lovely walk under the moonlight, my dearest?"

Luna growled silently. _Not in a million years would you be caught under __**my**__ moonlight! More like my lightning-my nightmares, how would you like that?!_

"Enough! I'm not going to deal with this anymore, I have other things to take care of. Luna, this is it. We're going to hold him down! Just long enough for me to prepare a spell."

"No need to tell me twice!" Luna smirked and jumped on Modest, immediately struggled with him. Who cares about any spell. _I shall enjoy doing this-it's the least that he deserves!_

Modest struggled while Luna kept a tight grip on him. "UNHOOF me! You shall not interfere with our love!" He glared at Luna and tried to cast a spell to push her back. "Let me go! You have no right to meddle in this-stay out of it!"

Celestia rolled her eyes as Luna began to argue with him. _Honestly, I wonder who or __**what**__ did this..._ "This spell is quite a strong one. No wonder he behaved strangely, as the guards and service put it. Hm... So powerful..." She closed her eyes a bit as an idea came to her. _Just like that barrier spell in the forest..._

Modest grunted and looked up at Celestia as her horn glowed again. "Don't do this! How dare you try to bewitch me, my love? My feelings will be unmoved by any spell, don't you realize that?!"

_I don't believe it's a coincidence..._ She raised an eyebrow as the glow in her horn vanished. "Okay, too strong a block for a memory spell. Strong... but not impossible."

Luna gave Modest a look and deliberately smacked his head with her hoof as he tried to move again. "Ngh, do you... Do think you'll be able to break it, Celestia? The... 'spell' that you say he's under?"

"Luna, please trust me. I wouldn't lie just to get out of this situation. Not me, you know that."

Luna sighed and glanced at Modest again. "I suppose so..."

"I'm positive that he's under a spell now. A very strong one. If only I had realized this earlier... I can't get through it with the simple memory spell, though. It would have to have stronger reinforcement..."

"Well, do you think you'll be able to get through that level of power? I mean..."

Celestia nodded as she walked around Luna and Modest. "I once wielded the Element of Magic. That I no longer hold it doesn't mean I'm not powerful anymore, right? Every spell can be worn down, especially if the opposing power is increased with something that will help."

"Well, it sure does sound like something far-fetched, I'll be honest..."

She smiled when her eyes stopped upon Luna. "And I think know just the thing that might boost my power."

Luna blinked and stared at her. "And what's that?"

Celestia chuckled. "It's perfect that you're already so close to him, little sister. Now all you have to do is kiss him." She walked up to them as her horn started to glow.

_K-kiss... Did she say... kiss him...?_ Luna gasped and opened her eyes wide with surprise. She blushed bright red and almost jumped off Modest. _**"WHAT?!"**_

Her ears pulled back as she looked at Modest, who had been stunned with her accidental use of the Royal Canterlot Voice. "S-Sorry. I mean, I-I'm not sorry. You... deserved that. I mean..." She gave Celestia a desperate look. "You've got to be kidding. I can't do that!"

Celestia shook her head. "There's no other way. That should be strong enough to break the spell. Luna, that kiss would even be enough to let him fight the rest of the way without having to do much, I know it-"

Luna shook her head with uncertainty. She steadied her grip on the confused Modest once she realized she nearly let go of him. "B-but, sister, that-you know it's-I could never do that. Y-you can't ask that of us! Of-me. I... I really do not want to kiss him! It's not fair, he dared hurt-I mean, just, defile-"

Celestia smiled just a little as she watched Luna try to stammer out a plausible excuse. "Well, it's either that or calling and waiting for Twilight Sparkle to get here and help."

"Well-"

"And we know that we wouldn't just have to wait for Twilight, we'd have to wait for her five friends."

"Well, I know, but... But, if we just-"

"And, Luna, I'm not going to wait that long." Celestia started walking closer to Luna and Modest. "There are some things that I have to clarify with Discord right away. I can't wait at all, and neither can Discord. I'm sorry, but I just have to be able to talk with him and clear things that were mistaken."

"W-with Discord?"

"Yes. With Discord. But I can't do it until Prince Modest is back to his senses! Some good it would do if I went and searched for Discord now. Not if Modest follows me and clings to me like glue while shouting his nonsense. You understand that, right?"

Luna let out an irritated breath. "Oh, of course I understand. You're telling me."

"Oh, good. I knew you would. Good, very good. Now hurry up and please help me."

Luna looked down at Modest with a timid look. She took a deep breath, but that did not help ease the blush that was still on her face. Finally, she exhaled and glanced at Celestia briefly before she turned back to Modest. "Yes, sister. Very well, I'll do it..."

_It will just be a quick one. Just enough to help him break the spell. As soon as the spell is gone, it will be over and the Prince will remember nothing. How nice is that, Luna? It's cut out for you._

She grimaced a bit as she stared at the prince that struggled under her. She could see the anger and annoyance in his eyes. To say that he definitely did not like her that particular moment was an understatement. _It's... It's just as Celestia says. Believe in her. It's the spell talking. Nothing but the spell._

Celestia stepped a bit closer. "Luna..."

_Just make it quick, Luna. A few seconds. He won't even notice. That's right, it'll be easy. As easy as the stars. Easier than the stars. I just have to handle one little, quick kiss. Not millions of them. Just... one._

"Anytime now, Luna..."

Luna took another breath before she closed her eyes. _I know, I know... Just... Just let me do this..._ She lowered herself down closer to Modest. As Modest stared at her and tried to protest, she gently kissed his lips and held herself in that same positions for a few seconds, while Celestia approached.

Celestia smiled and chuckled a bit as her horn glowed white. Alright, time to finish this. It'll definitely be strong enough now... She lowered her head so that her horn would touch Modest's head.

His body glowed a bit golden with Celestia's magic as the strengthened Memory Spell flowed inside him. His eyes also glowed for a few seconds as the spell broke within him.

Celestia stepped back and laughed once. "Yes. It's working."

Modest groaned as he returned to normal. He slowly opened his eyes as he felt the weight of somepony upon him. _Ngh... What's this...? Wait, where am I? What's happen-_

His pupils shrank as he opened his eyes wide, and a shocked blush crept rapidly on his face when he stared at Luna, who was still on top of him, kissing him. "P-Princess... Princess Luna..."

Luna opened her eyes wide with surprise, blushing bright red as well. She yelped and jumped off him, then scooted away. "I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Really, really sorry! I-I just... Um... Well... Th-this spell..."

Modest winced and rubbed his head. "Spell...?" He tried to think about what Luna was explaining with a rather quick tone and voice, but he could hardly think, with his head spinning and light as it felt.

Celestia sighed with relief as she realized that the spell was finally broken. _Oh, thank the stars..._ She turned around and saw that things started to change dramatically in Canterlot.

Suddenly, the ground began to change its material, becoming soap, then ice, then butter, and all kinds of things. The buildings also changed and even vanished from sight within seconds.

Chocolate rain started to fall, followed by hail of hard candy and jawbreakers that fell fast and hard upon the fleeting citizens. Many other things began to occur, most of which were actually rather destructive instead of simply bizarre. Some citizens began to suffer injuries from the shifting environment.

Modest shook his head to try to clear it, then looked at Luna. "Wait, princesses. What do you mean-"

"This isn't good. There's no time to explain!" Celestia turned around and looked at Luna. "Luna! You and Prince Modest must go get Twilight and the other five. The Elements of Harmony will be required yet again. I'll go straighten things with Discord. This can't wait any longer!"

She ran forward before the other two could say anything else. _Please don't do this to yourself, Discord. Not again. Please don't make us hurt you again...!_

Luna nodded and stood up. She looked at Modest. "Prince, can you move? Are you okay?"

"Ngh... I'll be fine. I've got to be; I must help you. After what's happened, it's the least that I can do." He gave her an apologetic glance. "Princess. If... If anything happened, or anything was said, then you must-"

"Good. Good that you're alright." Luna let out a breath and started to walk. "We must get moving, then. There's not much time." She grimaced as Modest followed her quietly, then muttered to herself.

* * *

Discord sighed heavily as he slithered back to the darkest place of the Everfree Forest. He laid in silence beneath a tree's shadow. His heart was as broken as it had ever been, and to make matters worse, he could not stop thinking about the events yet again. Nothing that he brought up made him change his mind.

_To think I believed she had changed... But she's still the same as ever, isn't she? A hypocrite little princess claiming to be good and gentle... Oh, once again she toyed with me just the way she wanted!_ He growled, then sighed again and looked down. "No... I let myself be played with. I was such a fool... Once again I did stupid things for others that did not deserve it. They did not deserve it at all."

He shook his head and laid down on the ground, muttering to himself and grumbling a bit. He did not notice that Miseria actually laid not far away from him on the grass, still sleeping.

~~~

Her ear perked up as she heard some noises on the clearing where she rested. "Hmm..." _What is it now...?_

She yawned as she slowly awoke from her nap. She lifted her head and looked around, though she remained cuddled on the ground. "Hm...? Oh..." She sniffed the air and recognized the scent that had approached the forest. "Big brother...?"

She yawned as she slowly awoke from her nap. She lifted her head and looked around, though she remained cuddled on the ground. "Hm...? Oh..." She sniffed the air and recognized the scent that had approached the forest. "Big brother...?"

Discord did not reply or made any notion of acknowledgement. He simply continued to lay on the ground with his face hidden by his paw.

She stood up and teleported above him. "Discord? Oh, you should have mentioned you were coming..." _At least you could have said you were already here..._ She tilted her head as she approached him quietly.

Then she smiled and fell down on him to bounce on his body. "Ahh, big brother, you're here! Finally here, aren't you? Hee, hee! Oh, how clever of you to not make any noise, you almost got me!"

Discord only let out a muffled groan as Miseria continued to go on and on excitedly. _Great. Just what I needed. Having to worry about this. Because right now, entertainment is quite a worry and burden..._

Miseria stared at him, then laughed again as she continued to talk. "Oh, c'mon, don't be like that! Where's all the playfulness, huh? You couldn't have come here just to mope around. Let's go! Let's have fun!"

Discord sighed, but once again didn't say anything else.

"Okay, then, I'll think of something for us to do. We could... maybe sing... No, I don't feel like singing right now. Just do random stuff! We're great at that, right?" She turned around to glance at Discord and remained quiet for a few seconds. _It seems like it worked... I gotta admit, I'm impressed of myself... It's for the best. Always remember that._

She giggled and played with the tip of Discord's tail as she hummed to herself. Before long, he'll be back to normal. And we'll play as long as we want. No more morning leaves, he'll stay for as long as he wishes!

"Oh, that would be lovely, wouldn't it, brother? I mean, imagine not having to leave. Ever. Staying here with me... Not having to worry about anything or getting your heart broken... I would like that. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't like that. Look at this forest! It's a wonder, isn't it?"

Discord closed his eyes and tried to drone out Miseria's talking. _Really, really not in the mood..._ He shook his head as Miseria continued to talk to herself, though she didn't seem to mind at all. _Why on earth would she do something like that? I didn't know she still had it in her... Luring me in with all those lies during that speech of hers... She's not repentant at all, is she? Hmph. So convincing, she seemed. Could've fooled me._

He glanced up at the sky and grimaced. _And she did... I fell like a fool. Well, I'll get back at her some time, I'm sure. I mean, there's got to be something I can do later. She won't get away with it this time..._

"And we could turn all the ground into sea! Oh, imagine swimming all around, with... With so many things that you make! I'd love that. I've never actually seen sea creatures. I've got to know what they're like."

_Just when everything seemed to be working. But of course, the truth always comes out, doesn't it? It came out to blow in her face. Oh, did she seem surprised... I wasn't going to let her make a fool of me much longer. He moved his head away from Miseria and groaned once more. ...I can't help it, can I?_

He closed his eyes again and nearly succeeding in drowning out Miseria's chattering as he drifted off into a quiet, gloomy nap. _Well, might as well get some sleep. Nothing will be going on for a while._

* * *

Wow, this took way too long. I'm sorry. I should be working faster on this, since this is my last week before I have to go to break... I swear I don't know what's wrong with me. Maybe it's the rate that I've been working on. It's finally getting to me, oh no! I'll keep working, I swear. So much on my plate before I have to leave.

And then I'd like to let you know that I won't actually be quite that gone until the 12th of August. I should be able to get online every so often.

Anyway! Chapter seemed a bit of a bore, didn't it? But... Something important happened! And for once it's actually not really got to do with Discord! Much. Ish. Celestia finally realized what is wrong with Modest. She decided to break the spell once and for all! Lucky Luna was quite in handy, isn't it? And what do you know, the kiss was just the needed thing to break the spell, wasn't it? Like any good old story. Only with a bit... of a couple twists. I quite liked that.

Pessimistic attitude, Discord has... I don't like the ending. Again. Seems a bit of a monologue or something... And I think it could use a bit more action. But oh, well, everything else was great. And Discord is in a poor mood, so I guess the gloomy ending's understandable. Glad you guys have been reading so far. I think you'll like the next chapter.


	15. Scheme for A Brother's Heart

**Scheme for A Brother's Heart**

Miseria continued to bounce on Discord's body as she talked excitedly about the possible events for the day. "What are we going to play today? It's not often that you come see me in the middle of the day, is it? I feel really special, brother, we should do something exciting!"

She jumped up and spun in the air so the sunlight would cover her white coat. "Ohhh! Look how pretty I am with the sun! Oh, isn't it just lovely? Bet I'm the prettiest thing you've ever seen~"

Discord rolled his eyes and grimaced as she tried to call his attention towards her. _Oh, she doesn't let up..._

She landed on him again and patted his back. "What are we gonna do, then? Wanna show me how to transform animals this time? I wanna make them change colors, too!"

"Miseria, that's enough..."

"Ooh, and you gotta tell me how to break up my body! And... Oh, then you must teach me how to tap into memories! Like, with flashbacks and everything!"

"I don't want to hear any of it..."

"Ohh... Don't be such a party-pooper! C'mon, brother! You can do better than this, cheer up!"

He squirmed as Miseria kept ranting on and on. He growled lowly and covered his ears. _I've got a ton of feelings weighing me down like an anchor, bursting around me, and there she is, chanting and hopping about... Oh, when did I sign up for this...?!_

"Dear, I just can't handle any of this right-"

"And then we could play dress up! Oh, I wonder if we can paint time around here! You know, that funny thing? We take a brush and paint whatever era we like to be in-it'll be exciting! I just made that game up right now, we've got to try it! I wanna go into the future and be a princess. The Princess of Future Chaos! Sounds nice, right? And you'll be..."

He couldn't stand it anymore; her joy, playfulness, and eagerness was too much for him to bear. He snapped his fingers and teleported Miseria off him before she could say another word.

"MISERIA!" He could hardly contain his anger as he pinned her on the ground with his lion paw.

She immediately fell silent as she stared at him with her eyes open wide in a shocked expression. Her ears pulled back and she shrunk a bit as she remained in her young form. _Goodness, he's never yelled before..._

He stared at her for a few seconds, then sighed and gradually calmed down. "Just..." He lifted his paw and let her go, watching as she scurried away to his side. "No games... Not today." He laid back down on the ground without saying anything else, turning his back so it would face her.

She tilted her head and stared at him with a bit of worry and shock. "..." That expression soon slipped from her face, though, and was replaced by a small, smug smirk.

_Oh, it's working better than I thought, my little plan. Hee, some points for me!_ She took a deep breath and carefully approached Discord again. _Okay... Here goes._ She gingerly lifted a hoof and tapped him with it.

"Miseria, I said I didn't want to-"

"What's wrong, brother? Oh, you'd never yelled at me like that before. It was... terrifying... But in a good way. Oh, I loved it so..." She looked up at him and patted him again. "But... You look so sad again."

He sighed and glanced aside. "Yeah, well, what's to expect. Since-" He blinked and raised his head a bit as Miseria's emerged from the ground, right in front of him.

"Really sad. You know I really don't like to see you like that..." She continued to float out of the ground as he relaxed again. "Hm? Go on, tell me about it. There's no one to tell, right? No one I'll go snitch to."

He watched her as he sat right beside him and patted his shoulder. "It's not even worth your time."

"Oh, please. Anything that bothers my brother is definitely worth my time. Do tell."

"I can't help thinking about some... unpleasant things, Miseria. They're everywhere in my mind, and they're not those that inspire my chaotic nature. And worst of all, I can't help it. I keep thinking of what happened..."

"Oh, really..." Miseria muttered, almost to herself, as she studied one of her flawless hooves. There was no hint of guilt or repentance in her voice or her expression. "Brother, I'm so sorry..."

Discord barely heard her as he stared off into space. _And how happy she must be now, as always..._

"Brother, whatever shall I do to help?" She patted his lion paw, then smiled a bit as he grabbed her in his arms and held her close. "Oh, there we go. I'll keep you safe, brother, don't worry. You'll be fine with me. You'll be safe and fine with me." She kissed his cheek and snuggled into his arms with a smile on her face.

He patted her head, then sat back against the trunk of a tree. "I really don't know what I would do without you. Or how I've even lived without you all these years."

Miseria giggled a bit. "You're strong like that, I guess. But don't worry. Like I said before..." She kissed his lion paw and laid on his arm. "Your little sister's here to make things better for us both."

~~~

Celestia grunted as she crashed against the barrier that still surrounded the forest. "Ngh, this spell again...!"  
She glared up at the unreachable space. "...You could at the very least show yourself." She narrowed her eyes with concentration as her horn glowed and let out a few golden sparks.

Within seconds a thick, transparent wall of light, brilliant orange became visible. Though it was transparent, it still seemed very solid, and even had spikes and thorns embedded on the sides, which accounted for the harmful repelling effect.

"...Definitely not Discord's. I knew it couldn't be his. It hardly has any of his magic aura once you really look at it." She lifted a hoof and gingerly placed it on one spot of the barrier. She screamed and fell on the ground in pain. "Right. Impenetrable, huh? But... Every spell must have a weakness of some sort. Modest's had."

She lowered her head and remembered the anger and pain that she had seen earlier on Discord's face. She remembered how happy they had both been before Modest showed up.

She then narrowed her eyes as she watch the barrier gleam a bit as she recalled those memories. _...Whatever cast this spell was also responsible for the misunderstanding that sent Discord off. It __**must**__ be connected, so much coincidence is impossible and insulting at this point. It all makes sense now._

"...I _will_ get past this spell. I am Princess Celestia of the Sun; bringer of light and protection to Equestria. While I am here to deliver justice, there will be no creature in this world that crosses my subjects-_any_ of them!" She stomped on the barrier as her eyes and body glowed with her magic. She continued to use the most of his power until she successfully began to push the barrier back.

~~~

Miseria blinked when she sensed Celestia's struggle against her barrier. _Hmph. So she's already at it, isn't she? Little pretty, goody-pampered princess. I'll show her who's best!_

She nuzzled against Discord and rubbed herself against his neck and chin. "Why don't you talk about it, brother? That always makes me feel better. Let's have a little chat, okay? Just to get us... started?" She crouched as she slithered under his eagle claw, then looked up at him with big, innocent eyes.

Discord stared at her as he patted her head with his claw. "I..."

"Go on. I promise it'll help. I would never tell you to do anything that harmed you."

"It's her... I thought that... Perhaps, what we once shared... Perhaps some of it still remained... And it did, Miseria. It did. But... As I saw this morning... She gave her part to another." He wrapped his tail around her as she nuzzled him again. "I just gave myself too much hope, on something that wasn't worth it after all."

She fought the urge to roll her eyes as he moped around and wallowed in pathetic self-pity. _Oh, come on... This is brother, after all. This is Discord! He can't afford to be like this, he's better than all of it. Still... Ohh, I have to help him and be there for him... No matter what silly, annoying thing he's going through. It won't be long, Missy. He'll get over it-be up and about in no time. I'll make sure of that._

She pulled herself out of his tail and sat on it as he continued to mutter about Celestia, more to himself than to her. "Uh-huh. _Really..._"

"...It was hopeless, you know..."

"Oh, no..."

"It was never going to work. Not with the kind of monster that I am..."

"Splattered feathers, wow..."

"...I'm not worth anypony like her. I should've known from the very beginning. I really shouldn't have been so stupid. One's ought to know their place from the start, but I was too pathetic for that."

Finally, Miseria frowned and turned around to face him. She surprised him when she covered his mouth with the tip of her mane, and leaned closer to him to look up at his saddened eyes. "Big brother, don't talk like that! I won't have any of it!"

He blinked and stared at her, noticing that she had grown up just a bit. "Um, Miser-"

She stepped forward, still holding her mane over his mouth. "Oh, you talk of her like she's that good anyway!" She glanced back and gave him a disapproving look. "So she's a princess and she's pretty and raises the sun and has all the ponies love her. Big deal! Who needs fans like those, anyway? Only somepony who is really insecure! In the end, she still doesn't measure up with all those pretty titles."

"Well, you can't just be talking about her like that, she's-"

"A mare in a bunch that's marked 'a bit a dozen'. Remember, it's the inside that counts. Right? No matter how sparkly and sunny she might be, and how good she thinks she is... She's never gonna be good enough for _you_. Oh-she wishes! She just doesn't know how to treat you at all, brother. And that eats her up."

~~~

Celestia panted as she pushed herself forward, wincing from the power of the barrier. Her body started to tremble from the strain of both the barrier's power and her own. She could feel that the resistance of the spell grew weaker, yet stronger at the same time.

_Just what is this...?! It won't make up its mind... Oh, what am I saying?_ She shook her head and took a few more steps forward. "Keep going. It'll be worth it. It's about time everything is cleared and solved once and for all. I can do this. I must do this!" She grunted again and pushed through with a spell of her own.

~~~

Miseria smirked again and floated around Discord. _I know just the thing..._ "She's not worth thinking about, brother. After all..." She gave him an innocent look and frowned a bit. "Doesn't she _always_ want to change some bit or other about you? It's always changes with her. Changes, changes, and more changes. That's not what 'love' is about, is it?"

Discord frowned as he watched and heard her. "Well, in truth..."

She appeared beside him and held his shoulder. "And what about _her_, hm? What has _she_ given up or changed for you? Nothing, as far as you and I can tell. She's never changed. But _you_... She changed everything about you to let you be around! Let's not get started about your poor chaos..."

"She... She made me weaken it. She made me change it. All for..."

"All for nothing, brother. She's always disliked chaos-she didn't want to have its full force anywhere near her when you came around again. It was either Chaos... or her." She stroked his paw and smiled a little as she looked up at him. "But what has she given in return to make the sacrifice worth it? It's only been about her."

"You're right, Miseria..." He stroke her mane gently as he paced around to think. "You're right. I'm giving her too much power over me. I'm giving her too much thought, and I've certainly let her do the unthinkable..."

"Darn right! Change your chaos, who does she think she is?! That daft princess doesn't even deserve to think she's got that privilege! She has no right to handle you like her tool-to tell you what you must change to be 'acceptable'. Oh, brother, you're fine and absolutely perfect just the way you are! _She_ should be the one doing the giving and the changing! And..."

She looked over her shoulder and sighed. "Wasn't _she_ the one who sealed you in stone for so many years? She claims to be good and sorry for it all, but that doesn't change the fact that you were sealed away for so long. In pain for so long..." She glanced at Discord as he picked her up. "If you think about it, she's got no right to talk about what's 'good' or not. She's not that pretty herself, anyway."

"She certainly has made plenty of mistakes herself. She didn't see how much I'd changed from the very beginning... Yet she claims to have seen it now, and said she'd give me a chance as long as I was... different... Just like everypony else. They're all the same-they'll always be the same."

Miseria stepped aside on some rocks as Discord knelt on the ground.

"Never mind her. You're right, I've got to move on. And... There's something that has always been there for me when I needed it most... Something that has always accepted me regardless of who or what I am. Even now, Miseria... It accepts me, despite my neglect..."

Miseria smiled and nodded as he raised his paw and claw. "What is that, brother?"

"Come here... I'll show you, my dear." Discord smirked as Miseria floated closer. He chuckled and surrounded his paw with his yellow magic aura.

Miseria giggled and remained floating in the air as the magic aura floated around them and took different shapes. "Ooh. Pretty..."

_"This is my friend. See how it glistens..."_ He raised his claw and snapped his fingers to make a golden bat appear from the branch of a tree, gleaming before it flew off above them. _"See this one shine... How it smiles in the light... My Chaos... My faithful Chaos..."_

Miseria hopped on the ground and watched a plant that grew from the checker-tile ground. She watched it as it changed colors and burst out with small beans of all sorts of flavors.

Discord tapped the plant and saw it grow in his direction. _"Speak to me, friend... Whisper, I'll listen..."_ He knelt down to the plant's level as it glowed a bit.

Miseria leaned forward to listen, but floated back as Discord nodded and gave the plant an understanding look. "Hm?" She gasped and laughed as the plant burst into Discord's magic aura again.

_"I know... I know. You've been locked out of sight all these years..."_ He grimaced as the yellow aura took the shape of Discord and stood as though it had been turned into a statue. He looked away and sighed. _"Like me, my friend..."_

Miseria floated beside Discord as he raised his arms and smiled. She floated around him and followed the different spells that he cast around the area. As she walked, her form began to change into a taller, slender, slightly older shape; her adolescent form.

_"Well, I've returned... And found you waiting..."_ He nodded as the magic light chased Miseria and made her tumble into a bed of marshmallows. _"I'm back... And we're together..."_

He sang softly as he raised his claw to let the light wrap itself around it with a small hiss. _"And we'll do wonders... Won't we..."_

He vanished the light and slithered forward to startle a doe made of glittering chocolate. He smiled at it and patted its head as it began to change into a shrub. _"You there, my friend..."_ He snapped his fingers and turned it into a wiggling pillow.

Miseria stepped closer to him as he patted the pillow. _"I'm your friend too, big brother..."_

Discord chuckled a bit and caught the pillow before it bounced out of his arms. _"Come, let me hold you."_

She sighed and floated in front of Discord before he stepped away. _"...If you only knew, big brother..."_

He turned the pillow into a sphere of light and watched it glow. _"Now, with a sigh..."_

"Oh, big brother, you're warm in my hoof..."

He grinned as he released the sphere of light, watching it become small lightning. _"My chaos..."_

"You've returned..."

The lightning diminished and made its way into the ground. Discord smiled and twirled the fingers of his claw as he watched the ground glow. _"My clever chaos..."_

Miseria paced around Discord and smiled at him as he showed her budding flowers that glowed with the lightning's energy. _"Always had a fondness for you, I did."_ She held his paw, then nudged him forward as chaos continued to occur all around them.

"And you see, Miseria? Heh. Within time, you'll be able to master all of this. I'll show you, since you've gotten a bit better. Come." He raised his claw and made a rainbow appear, featuring glowing, neon colors.

"Oh, brother, that's beautiful!" She smiled as she watched butterflies flutter away from the rainbow, surrounding her briefly. "Hee. Lovely, isn't it?"

"It's not all for fun and games anymore, you know." He lowered to the ground as yellow magic aura surrounded them again. He raised his paw to absorb it.

Miseria smirked and sat beside him, watching the light show.

He sighed and grew a bit more serious when the light diminished. _"Rest now, my chaos..."_

She walked up to him as he slowly made his creations disappear. _"Afraid you needn't be, big brother."_

"Soon, I'll unleash you..." He nodded at his magic and watched it disappear bit by bit as Miseria drew closer to him. He glanced at her and smiled.

She patted his head and helped him stand up. _"You can be with me, big brother."_

He held her hooves as she stared at him with a gentle smile while they sang. _"Soon you'll know splendors you never have dreamed all your days..."_

Miseria nodded and turned Discord around as her magic lighted in front of them and showed them a vision. _"Will be yours..."_

Discord nodded and raised his hand to make the vision take the form of Ponyville. _"My lucky friend!"_

"I'm your friend..." She turned around as the vision became clearer.

_"Till now my sight..."_

"...and you're mine. Doesn't it look beautiful?" She smiled and waved her hoof in front of the vision to expand the town. Then she glanced up at Discord as he let out a chuckle.

_"...was merely on Ponyville..."_

"Ponyville's enough for me..." She blushed slightly and laughed when Discord carried her again and showed her a map of Equestria. She grinned and returned the joyful look that he gave her. _"Big brother..."_

_"My friend... We shall have chaos~!"_ He hugged her and patted her head as she looked out to the city of Canterlot. _"We'll soon have greater... chaos..."_

She hopped on the air in front of him and clapped her hooves as his magic aura vanished. "There you go!"

"I won't be changing it in awhile, you know... Not the power that I finally regained. And, Miseria...?"

She nodded and hugged him. "We're going to do a lot of fun stuff with it!"

"Oh, you bet..." He smiled as she opened her wings and flew beside him. "We'll find something that will catch your interest, right?"

"Anything with you catches my interest. But, you know... It won't hurt..." She smirked and nudged him. "It won't hurt to show that unbearable princess how better off you are without her..."

"She deserves anything that she might get later on. When she finally gets the guts to face Chaos as it is. She kept her intentions hidden when she got together with that prince, can you believe it? Such a dirty trick of hers, to still keep me around... I wouldn't have expected it from her..."

"It's always those that seem the prettiest and most harmless..."

"You'd think I would have learned from the past already." Discord sighed and glared at his lion paw with disdain. "She does whatever she wants, no one stops her. Yet I'm always the one paying for that."

Miseria smirked as he started to play around with his magic again while grumbling to himself. She stood up and walked forward. "Oh, brother..."

"What is it?"

"Nothing. I just... Oh, I can't help it! I really don't like that she keeps breaking your heart. That can't be good for you at all!" She lowered her head in sadness as Discord floated in front of her.

"Well, you can see I'm definitely not going to-"

She turned around again and continued pacing. "And yet, here I am; trying to do everything I can to please you and make you happy. But it'll never work, will it? Ohh... She just ruins it all."

She tapped her hoof in the air and tried to appear balloon flowers around her. She smiled as some of the balloons floated beside her, but then withered and popped. Oops. She gave Discord a quick glance before she zapped the popped balloons out of sight.

Discord hadn't seen her failed attempt at chaotic magic. He shook his head and gave her a sad smile. "Oh, you beautiful, beautiful darling..."

She lifted a hoof and pointed to herself as Discord continued to listen. "I guess... I'm the one who's not good enough... Heh, how about that..." She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

~~~

Celestia breathed heavily as she pulled and dragged herself deeper into the forest. Before she knew it, she had forced her way past the toughest part of the barrier, until it had seemingly disappeared. "I... I did it..."

She groaned and nearly collapsed aside, but held herself steady by leaning against a tree. _It will be okay now... I made it past that thing... I just have... A few... A few seconds..._ She blinked and looked around to find her bearings in the forest. _It shouldn't be too hard... Hardly has changed all these years..._

She took a step forward, but stopped before she fell over. She groaned and knelt down to regain her breath. "Okay... Just calm down. It was just a little effort... Nothing to it." Her eyes began to close as she heard distant singing. "Nothing... to it..."

Her ear twitched a bit as he heard the hissing and slithering of some creature, but that did not make her open her eyes. She only opened them wide when she heard Discord's voice, accompanied by some other that she could not recognize. But hearing Discord's was enough for her.

"Discord!" She pushed herself to her hooves and glared at the snake-like creatures that tried to corner her. "Oh, not today!" Her horn glowed and she blasted them away. "Discord... Wait for me!"

She stumbled forward with effort, through the vines, trees, and bushes that covered her way. She stopped when she came across a dark clearing that emitted traces of familiar magic. "It's here..."

Her hooves shifted a bit as the magical creations disappeared around her. "Discord's spells... They're fading... But, he didn't use his magic long ago, did he...?" She looked around the tall hedges to try to spot him. "Where is he...?" She shook her head with frustration and started to walk again.

She stopped in her tracks and gasped when she saw Discord along with some... some other creature that appeared to be a beautiful alicorn. At least, that's what Celestia saw on the upper body. The lower part was hideous; beyond her recognition and description.

_That is the source of all this magic power. That creature over there... It made all of these changes. They've been its spells all along... But... Discord? What does it want with Discord? Why is __**he**__ here?_

She tried to step back, but grunted as vines kept her in place and slithered to make her walk forward. "N-no! Let go! Who are you?!" She tried to call out, but found that her voice could not reach Discord. "What...?!" She glared down at the vines again. ._..I'll have to go forward if I hope for this to end..._

She raised an eyebrow when the vines loosened a bit, and so she took one careful step forward, though she found that she was too exhausted and shocked to burst ahead and confront Discord, like she wanted.

~~~

Discord teleported behind Miseria and gently held her shoulders as she looked up at him. "Don't say that, Miseria. Of course you're good for me. Never mind 'good enough'. You are absolutely perfect. The best thing that could have happened to me, you know."

_What is he saying?! No! Let him go!_ Celestia glared around as she suddenly found herself too weak to cast another spell. _I can't do anything. This is much stronger than Chrysalis' magic... What is she doing to him?!_

He spun her a bit as she smiled brightly, then placed his arms around her. "Oh, Miseria... It's about time I give you what you deserve, my darling."

~~~

Celestia shook her head and tried to move again. _Discord, fight it. In the name of all Equestria, fight it! Fight her spell for all your chaos' worth!_ She looked at him desperately, then winced as she heard Miseria's voice giggling in her mind. "You! Who are you?! Leave him alone!"

_"What makes you think this is a spell, hm? Silly princess. Always working everything around your convenience. It's no spell, you fool! It's genuine love!"_

"No, it can't be! That's not love, he-"

_"He's not yours anymore. You wasted your chance. Now you'll only watch as he loves another, princess. You'll watch as you get what you deserve!"_

"Whoever you are, let him go. Please."

_"Ohh, I'm not holding him against his will! Those are his true feelings, and the best is yet to come! Calm down and listen to him for once, will you? Listen to what he really feels!"_

Celestia groaned as she felt that her body relaxed a bit. She shook her head and stared ahead at Discord. _It's a trick. He'll see it. I know he will. I know he meant his words this morning as much as I did._

~~~

Discord patted Miseria's mane and smiled again. "This is it, Miseria. From now on, I'll forget about Celestia, since she's forgotten about me. I'll be with you for as long as you wish, and teach you all about Chaos. We'll finally change things around here for the better. It's about time."

Miseria stared at him, then blinked and smiled as his words genuinely moved her. "Oh... Brother... You would do that? You'd do that for me...?" She laughed a bit as he caressed his face. He really would...

She smirked as she remembered that Celestia was still standing close to them, watching and listening to everything that happened between her and Discord. _Oh, princess, aren't you just loving this...?_

She jumped closer to Discord and hugged him tightly. "But of course you would! Thank you so, so much, big brother! Oh, just you wait! We're going to be King and Queen of Chaos together!"

"So we will, won't we?" He blinked with a bit of surprise as Miseria grabbed his face between her hooves.

She smiled and nodded. "Definitely. You know, brother... Heh... I wouldn't have it any other way." She closed her eyes, then kissed him.

Celestia stared at the scene in front of her with shock. She stopped her slow staggering and simply watched as Discord and the strange creature continued to kiss. She did not even register in their minds, despite her standing almost within hearing range.

"Dis... Discord...?" She could barely speak as her throat began to tighten into a knot.

_No... Oh, no..._

She felt that her heart had sunk to the lowest part of herself, as did the hopes that had pushed her so far through the agonizing spell.

_Please don't... This can't be happening..._

To her misfortune, the horrible nightmare she witnessed did not stop when she weakly uttered Discord's name. It was as though she had never spoken, or ever appeared beside them.

_Everything we went through... It's meant... He... He couldn't have..._

Her hind legs started trembling, and it was all she could do to keep herself on her four legs. _Discord..._

* * *

Well... Wasn't this sad. I feel so bad for Celestia! Oh, she did try so hard! Put up with Modest, and the pain and fatigue of the spell, she put up with everything... Only to find Miseria had already claimed the prize.

But it was actually pretty entertaining, too. Talk about the drama. I like how the story's coming along so far, the conflict between the emotions and everything. Miseria is so cute! Sorry, some of you may dislike her because she's turning out to be a manipulative jerk, but I like her. She's a gem, really.

The way she loves her brother... It's a bit puzzling, but what is definite is her affection and determination to protect him. Eh, I think. She's got her own ways of protecting at the moment. And gotta hand it to her, she's clever. Mean and clever.

The song... Ah, the song... Took a bit to compose. I thought of so many of the movie that fit these moments. At first I was going to have an adaptation of 'Little Priest'. For a few days I've been trying to edit the lyrics and everything. But, in the end, I discarded that idea because that would kinda have required that I did that 'Last Sequence' song in the end. I do want to, but it's a lot of work and won't make as much sense now. Don't need it, thanks.

I definitely will use another song from the movie, which is why I wanted to use a song that would fit this moment, but not generate the need of other reprises. So... 'My Friends' fit perfectly. I've also been thinking of the lyrics for a while. I feel iffy about having Discord sing, though... Try as I might, I can't picture with rightful clarity the scene of... Well, John De Lancie singing 'My Friends'. Can you, guys?

I'm more satisfied with this one, because there was that one spot of the song that I just couldn't let go. In this emotion-filled chapter, it was imperative that I put that bit (albeit edited); _'afraid you needn't be, big brother... You can be with me, big brother...'_ And then the whole having her mention she's had a 'fondness' for him and stuff (yay for more confusion about her feelings!).

I'm very glad that this time it was mostly what happened around the song that was important. I plugged the song into a proper spot quite well, I'd say. It only underlines what's happening around the chapter. Discord finally 'seeing the light' and embracing his powers while giving up on Celestia. He and Miseria are in for some fun in Equestria, methinks...

Okay. Crediting. Again.

We all know that _My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic_ belongs to Lauren Faust.

'My Friends' is a song featured in _Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street_, which was directed by Tim Burton. Let me just mention that Johnny Depp sang amazingly and beautifully there. Helena Bonham Carter did well, too. So well that I might think that she could be Miseria's voice actress.


	16. A Toast To Changes

**A Toast To Changes**

The seconds seemed to pass in a slow, torturing way that should be deemed illegal to existence. Everything in the dark forest stopped around the Sun Princess, so that she was no longer aware of the spells that wore her down, the animals that slithered around her, the macabre plants and surroundings... She had almost forgotten that she was standing in the middle of the worldwide feared Everfree Forest. It nearly seemed harmless to her now in comparison to what laid before her.

_It was all... Everything I did... All the time I waited, Modest's spell, that barrier... It just led me to this. This was... my reward... My reward for everything that I went through..._

At that very moment Celestia, Princess of the Sun, ruler of the great kingdom of Equestria, felt like the most useless of ponies that existed in all of time. None of her magic would ever be sufficiently powerful to undo what she had seen, or the pain that had been brought to her heart.

~~~

Miseria smiled as she stepped back to look up at Discord. She laughed as he twirled her a bit and held her close. "Oh, say it, brother. I want to hear you say what you feel. Please do say it."

He chuckled and caressed her face as she put a hoof on his paw. "You deserve it, my dear. All of it." He kissed her forehead and embraced her again. "Miseria... After all that we have been through... And thinking of all that we will enjoy together... I want to let you know that I-"

He was cut off when he finally noticed the faint trace of foreign magic in the area, very close to them. In fact, the dim glow of the golden light actually drifted around them at that very moment. It was undoubtedly magic aura that he knew and recognized all too well.

_It can't be... Celestia..._

"Discord!" Celestia finally gathered enough strength to stumble closer to them. Though she was now weak and her voice was low, she still tried hard to reach them, and seemed genuinely happy to finally get his attention. "Oh, thank goodness you could hear me..."

He turned around and gave her a hard look that nearly made her freeze in her spot. "..."

She smiled a little as she looked at him. "I finally found you, Discord... Oh, you have no idea... I'm so glad I found you... Please... Please don't go again, okay? You have... You have to listen to..."

Miseria gave her an unimpressed look that was filled with disdain. "Oh. It's you."

Celestia blinked as she stared at Miseria. "M-me?"

"Yeah, _you_. You're the one princess that just won't stop hurting my brother, aren't you?"

Celestia frowned with confusion as she looked at both Miseria and Discord. "Y-your 'brother'...? But... Wait a minute, I didn't... But you just... You... You just can't be-"

Discord wrapped his eagle arm around Miseria while she giggled at Celestia's stunned stammering. "Yes, Celestia, she said it right. I happen to be Miseria's older brother. She was kind enough to give me that title from the very beginning. Seems to make her happy."

"He's the best big brother ever! Why are you so surprised, princess? Does it make you jealous? Oh, he's got so many things to show me..." Miseria smiled and leaned against Discord while she giggled again.

"Indeed. And unlike you, she's eager to see and learn them. You know what? Over the short, but delightful time that we have known each other, Miseria has come to be so much more than just a little sister to me..."

Celestia shook her head. She glanced at Miseria with a raised eyebrow, then looked at Discord again. "What are you talking about? What... Just what is she to you?"

"Oooh, a touchy question, isn't it?" Miseria grinned and laid down on her cloud as Celestia looked between her and Discord. "I'd be happy to answer it!"

Discord raised his paw to silence keep Miseria back. "Well, I'm in the middle of explaining what she means to me, aren't I? As I said, she is now so much more than a little sister."

Celestia followed him with her eyes as he floated around her. "You see, that's what I'm trying to have you explain. You can't just say something like that, Discord. I mean, I thought you and I were-"

"...So much, in fact, that I would daresay I have now forgotten all about you, Celestia. I decided to leave you and your meaningless demands for me to change while I give her your place instead."

Miseria giggled and waved her hoof down. "Oh, please, brother. You're making me blush."

"Well, you look adorable when you blush, while we're at it." He stopped himself and shook his head. "No, wait. Hold on, that wouldn't do her justice." He looked at Celestia and made a face while he waved his claw. "Of course not! Why, her place now is so much higher and better than yours ever was, Celestia."

"Discord, how can you say something like-"

"Oh, it's quite simple, I assure you! You'd know all about it, of course. I know it's nothing new to you, so don't play innocent and hurt with me. It was the same for you, wasn't it? I know, I know, Celestia. You finally found _somepony_ to give a better place in your heart."

"No, let me explain. It was something simple, Discord. And it's all better now! If you'd just listen-"

"You forgot all about me when you ran off to that prince, didn't you? All that 'your appearance doesn't matter to me!' All that was nothing but a petty, spoiled lie of yours. Good thing I didn't believe it for a second."

Miseria jumped off the cloud and watched it disappear in golden powder. She looked at Discord and gently nuzzled him so he would embrace her. "She _had_ to say all those goodie stuff to seem proper and kind."

Celestia frowned and shook her head. "Wait. No, it wasn't like that. You just don't get it-" She grunted as the grass under her hooves grew when she tried to step closer. It snaked around her legs and held her in place. "When are you going to stop this...? Let me go! Whoever is doing this, stop it! I have to-"

Discord unleashed his glare upon Celestia before she had the chance to protest any further. "You..."

She looked up at him and gasped, shrinking under the weight of his eyes. She immediately recognized the old anger in his glare, and was honestly frightened by the sudden impact of those hateful emotions. "Dis-"

"What do you _want_, Celestia?! Don't you think you've done enough to me during all this time?!" He folded his arms and raised an eyebrow while she tried to speak. "What? Suddenly you're speechless? Please. If anypony can talk, it's you. Especially about rules and conditions, right? That's your favorite subject of all. Some moments you pick to show up. Did you come to try and spoil my afternoon like you did my morning?"

Celestia stared at him sadly while he went through his rant. She noticed that he grew angrier every time he lashed out at her. _Please don't do this... Discord, this isn't you..._ She grimaced as he fixed his eyes upon her again, with the least of patience. "...Will you please let me speak?"

"I've been waiting for you to do so all along."

"...I haven't forgotten you, Discord. I couldn't. Not ever. This was just something caused by a change in events. A change that I can explain." She winced as her injuries began to hurt again.

"Oh, what do you know." Discord waved his paw as he began to turn around. "I don't care to hear any of it."

"No, please, you have to! You... Ngh... Y-you misunderstood. Nothing happened in the palace, with Modest."

"Seriously?! I saw that, Fluttershy saw that-Luna saw it... And you come all the way out here with the nerve to tell me that _nothing happened?!_ You're more worthless than I thought, Celestia!"

"B-because nothing happened!" She winced as he stomped his lizard foot down. "Just... Let me talk... Let me finish...! It was... Modest was not in his right mind. It was as I suspected, Discord. He was... under a powerful spell... It... It was all...!" She cried out a bit as she collapsed on the ground.

Miseria floated in the air while she watched her. _Ooh, she dug quite a bit, didn't she? Pretty clever. But still... Doesn't look like it's helping your situation one bit._ She smirked a little as she looked at Discord.

A storm blew up on the sky above them as Discord floated over Celestia. The ground also cracked just ever so slightly before it rumbled a bit and moved back to a firm, albeit uneven level.

He continued to glare down at Celestia with little sympathy or consideration for her hurt condition. "Oh, poor, poor Celestia. It was worthless of you to come here. Just a terrible waste of time for you and your kingdom. Don't worry, now. You can run along, back to your precious Prince of the West!"

Celestia shook her head a bit and tried to utter something, but gasped when Discord slammed his tail in front of her to silence her. _You're wrong..._

"There's nothing for you to find here anymore! Nothing except what you deserve, that is. Now that this is all finished... I suppose you're better off with that daft prince of yours, because I have found my queen."

She let out a weary sigh as she watched him approach the mismatched alicorn again. "Your queen."

"Yes-my queen!" He smirked as he caressed Miseria. "Isn't she wonderful? Better, by far, than a cunning, deceitful princess. Don't worry, Celestia-she will make me happier than you could ever hope to make me! Because, for starters... She will accept me just the way I _am!"_

Celestia tried to push herself up from the dry ground as Discord laughed. "No... You're making a mistake-a big one. This isn't you! This isn't who you are and you have to stop, before it's too late! Otherwise, you'll just... Oh, Discord... If you don't stop, you'll turn into your old self... Into that..."

"That _what?_ That 'monster'? Go on, say it if you must! 'My old self', how foolish of you! Celestia... Don't you see, sweetheart? This is the 'self' I've always been! No 'old', no 'new'; just the _usual_ Discord!"

"N-no! I know that's not true. It can't be; not after all we have done for you. All of us have helped you change for the better, Discord. You just have to see that. There's no way our effort was in vain..."

She closed her eyes and winced again as she tried to remain calm. She could feel Discord's glare still fixed upon her; perhaps he would even raise his claw to attack her. Regardless, she had to stay calm and try to talk reason into him. "...I know you're just saying all this because... I hurt you..."

He growled and cast his gaze away as she opened her eyes to look at him. "Here you go again..."

"You have all right and reason to be hurt and angry-you more than anypony. I understand that! Believe it or not... I understand how you feel, and why. But don't think for a second that I will be discouraged, Discord. You know why? Because I know who you are! I know that you have changed! So this anger... I know it's just that. Anger that will pass with time..."

She knelt down and breathed a bit faster as her voice dropped slightly. "I am willing to wait. I am willing to let you go wherever you please. You can go away from me forever, if that will make you feel better. But... I just don't want you to lie to yourself. This isn't you... You have changed..."

"Changed?! Hah. How hilarious!" He appeared before Celestia and knelt down to lift her by her golden collar, making her cry out. "I think you're the one lying to yourself here, Celestia."

She opened her eyes and gave him a pleading look. "I'm certain it's not-"

"Quiet! It's always been about you-about listening to you. Now you're going to listen to me!" He lifted her a bit higher and smirked while she tried to pull away. "You know... Maybe I _would_ have changed. After all, you almost had me fooled. You nearly made me go head over feet over you."

"I never... intended... to fool you, Discord...!"

"Nah, nah-save it. It wouldn't have been long before you had me wrapped around your little hoof again. I would have done anything for you! And you knew that, so what was your first thought? Right. 'Change everything about him, because I will never like him the way he is. Change it into whatever _I_ like!' That's the way it's always been, why change it now?!"

He did not spare Celestia of one bit of his cutting bitterness and resentment. He even chuckled as she helplessly received the blows from his screamed words.

"Stop it... Stop all of this..."

"What did you plan to do when I became another obedient subject, Celestia? What were you going to do? Were you going to send me off with the little ponies forever so that you could stay with Modest? Were you going to keep me like the royal pet that unleashed chaos only when _you_ wanted it? Go on, what were you going to do once you had me played for a fool in front of everypony?!"

"Stop talking like this! Can't you understand?! We are _both_ being brought into another twisted game! This time even _you_ are being manipulated, Discord!"

"No! That's not what I meant! When did you become so... so _clueless_?! It's right in front of you! Open your eyes and see the problem!" Celestia looked at Miseria as she smirked and looked up.

"Don't try to blame anyone this time. It's all your fault-you're taking the responsibility you're entitled to! Haven't you always loved responsibility, Celestia? There you have it, then! Bask in all its glory! Rejoice while they finally shred the joke of a relationship we had to shreds. That's just what you wanted!"

She glared at him as she took a deep breath. _Don't let his words get to you like last time. He isn't himself. I need to be strong to help him this time._ "Discord... Do us both a favor... And please listen to yourself. You're not making sense. Think about what you're saying. Once again, it's nothing but sad, angry, hurtful-"

He grinned and threw her back on the ground as he cut her off. "Good! About time you got a taste of decent pain for once-don't you think so, princess?!"

Miseria gasped quietly and smiled as she watched the argument with complete interest. _Ooh. Oh, my. This is getting __**good**__._ She tapped her hoof and appeared a crystal glass with pink lemonade and a yellow straw. She smiled a bit and giggled as she drank the small glass. _You tell her, brother!_

"It's about time you know for once what pain feels like. Don't give me that-you don't know anything about pain! I've been on the receiving end for far too long-I ought to know a thing or two about it."

Miseria nodded as she munched on a few flowers made of cotton candy. She appeared some sort of remote control that made the volume of Discord's voice raise as she pressed some buttons. She also made the two of them zoom in while she floated in the air a good distance away from them.

_Oh, hold on, I forgot something! How silly of me..._ She pressed another button on the controller that made the environment freeze around her, as though she had 'paused' everything.

"I finally realized how you are and how you will always be. You see, it doesn't matter how hard I try to get you to accept me. You'll always find something in me that needs to change, won't you? Causing chaos, turned to stone, reformed, it's all the same!"

Celestia looked down as Discord continued to scream and rampage. "..." She said nothing when he stopped to take a breath for once. _I'm losing him... I'm going to lose him again._

Discord chuckled and lifted her face with his paw. "But... It doesn't matter now, does it? Thank you kindly for finally thinking about both of us. You'll have the chance to move on with that lame little pony you found, princess. You can manipulate him to your heart's content and change everything about him!"

"Oh, Discord-"

"Easy, dearie. You don't need to 'worry' about me anymore. I'll be fine, really! More than fine. It's _my_ time to rejoice, Celestia. Because the great, unmeasured Chaos is BACK!"

At the snap of his fingers, all the trees of the forest disappeared and were replaced with trunks of different colors that coiled around the bare ground and branched out in a tangle. Within seconds, the area had turned into an unrecognizable mess of chaos and eerie darkness.

Discord laughed wickedly as he spread out the magic aura of his chaos, watching it slither past the forest, into the city. "They really could use a bit more rain on their parade. All of you!"

"N-no... Oh, dear goodness, not again...!" She looked up at Discord as he started to corner her into a cramped space of the ground. She dodged his spells and mischievous creations, but then collapsed on the ground again. "Discord, no... I can't deal with this again!"

Miseria giggled as she watched the chaos take place. She clapped her hooves together with delight and started cheering while colorful sparks burst out of her body and her tail. "Yeah! Go, brother!"

She looked around at the new forest again, then started playing with some of the branches. "Brother, this will definitely be a better home for us! The new Kingdom of Chaos!" She glared at Celestia with a smirk, then let out a laugh as the princess continued to inch away from the twisted magic that surrounded her.

"Kingdom of Chaos?! No!" She shook her head and tried to push herself up, but slipped on the uneven ground that Miseria had altered. _She's got to stop doing this... I can't let her get away with all of this. She can't beat the power of Truth, and... And I know Discord's feelings are still in there..._

She cried out when a group of hooting rabbits marched past her, giving her angry looks. _He's still in there... Somewhere..._ She looked up at Discord, who know looked as though he was conducting a symphony with flying animals and self-playing instruments.

The animals made the musical sounds while the instruments let out different animal noises.

"I can't... give up... There's still some hope and time to stop this..."

Discord laughed again as Miseria floated close to him and handed him a glass of champagne. "To the new kingdom, eh, Miseria?" He snickered and drank from the glass.

"To the new kingdom, brother!" She licked her lips after she finished the champagne and stomped her front hooves in the air. She looked at Canterlot with delight as it was suddenly covered with heavy, whipped covered, while storm clouds appeared between the streets and zapped anypony nearby.

Celestia grimaced and flinched as she tried to gather some strength. In the meantime, she was forced to helplessly witness all the chaos that the two mismatched creatures unleashed upon their surroundings, causing accidents and fear within the citizens for the mere fun of it.

* * *

I divided this chapter because it would have been pretty long otherwise, and... I wanted to put the good part that comes after this in an additional chapter! This one is still good, though, isn't it? Discord finally had enough of Celestia's 'selfish' attitude and decided to embrace his chaos once again! All the while remaining by Miseria's side, just like she manipulated and planned.

Miseria's having a time, I assure you. I really liked that part with the remote controller, it was quite funny. Reminded me of _Click_. But of course Miseria was going to have a reality controller! I'm surprised I didn't let her feature that earlier (or that it might be a one-time little thing). I know some of you probably hate her by now... I myself have mixed feelings, because she's acting like a total jerk. Totally enjoying the argument between Celestia and Discord!

But... She's being so clever and manipulative about it! She's still acting like a sweetheart in her own way... And you probably might guess that she had reverted back to her filly form by the end. I know, that's so confusing, right? But Miseria's such an enjoyable character that has moments where such different ages are prominent, I couldn't just leave her in one age appearance! Besides, she's quite a little chaotic pixie, so she was definitely going to use her magic to mess even with her own age. And I like that about her. Gotta use your imagination and attention to detail to know when she's changed.

I'm feeling bad for Celestia here... But I also think I'm... not giving her enough detail and... making her a bit of a Mary Sue. Not that she could do much else other than just watch and plead... Being all tough to try to be the hero would not fit her character. It would screw her canon profile. So, sorry, Celestia. But I'll give it to you, you're doing real well, having your brave moments and all.

I look forward to what will come from these confrontations! I mean, it all can't end like this, right?


	17. Perhaps A Statue, But Never A Trophy

**Perhaps A Statue, But Never A Trophy**

Celestia braced herself again when thunder roared and lightning flew across the sky. She took a deep breath and looked at the chaotic pair carefully.

_His good feelings are still in there..._ She watched him laugh as Miseria jumped on him and started to create her own chaotic spells. _He's somewhere in there._

"Discord, get a hold of yourself!" Celestia grunted with frustration when her legs gave up on her, and she fell on the floor. She looked at herself once she ended up splattered with mud. "..."

Miseria burst out laughing. "Getting a facial, princess? Oh, it's going to take more than that to fix yourself up a bit, isn't it?" She held her stomach with her hooves and kept laughing.

Celestia shook some of the mud off, then let out a weary sigh. She looked up at Discord as he left Miseria to approach her. She could feel the mocking sneer coming, but paid him no mind as he floated over her. "Please... Just listen to me... Discord... For once in your life, just listen!"

Discord cracked the fingers of his claw and paw and then gave her an annoyed look. "And on top of all, you're inconsiderate. I _have_ listened to you all this time. That's why there's a problem in the first place. Because I listened to you-only you."

"Discord, you are going to stop talking _right now_ and at least let me say what I must! You can do whatever on earth you want afterwards, but you're listening to me first. Understand?!"

He patted Miseria's head when she gave Celestia a look. "Why should I do that, Tia? What else do you have to say that may remotely interest me at this point?"

"Quiet! Whatever I have to say is for me to decide, and for you to listen!" She groaned and swayed a bit as her body began to tremble from the strain. "Good. Now that I have your attention... I'm going to explain what happened once and for all. Prince Modest was under a powerful spell that altered his emotions. Do you want to know who Modest really loves? _Luna!_ He only sees me as a friend and fellow royal comrade!"

"And how did you figure such a convenient fact, Tia?" Discord folded his arms and raised an eyebrow. "I mean, suddenly it's so obvious, the problem... And the solution, too! And all for you to heroically know..."

"It's simple, really. You would know, too, if you had stopped your tantrum and stopped thinking of only yourself for one second to think about the last few days and nights. If you had done that, you would have noticed that they have been getting along quite well and, over the course of that good friendship, THEY CAME TO LOVE EACH OTHER! Anypony could have seen that, really. All it took was a bit of observation. Oh, but where were you? That's right-in the Everfree Forest! Having a grand time with-with your _sister_."

He frowned and stepped forward. "They didn't seem so friendly when I-"

"I'm not done yet!" Celestia panted a bit, then resumed her explanation. "Let me finish. Despite what Luna and Modest began to feel for one another... The spell was so powerful that it made him forget all about that love..." She narrowed her eyes and stared at Miseria. "...And thus he became infatuated with me instead."

Discord shook his head and stared at her with a calm, cold expression. "Hmph. Oh, Celestia... Really, you have quite an imagination. But I must say, you're losing your touch. Your ability to lie is getting rather dull..."

Celestia rolled her eyes and looked at the ground while she gritted her teeth. _You're so dense... Why don't you get the __**obvious**__ facts and clues through that thick, chaos-filled head of yours?!_ She pulled her face away as Discord caressed her cheek.

"Let's ignore your little, entertaining story for a bit. It doesn't change the fact that you only reformed me to control me once again. You realized once more that we're different-yet you wanted to win again, didn't you? So change me into a good fool and be triumphant over me like all those years ago!"

"I didn't need to change anything, you're already such a fool..." She shook her head and glared at him with tears in her eyes. "I never meant to take full control of you and your life, Discord. I never denied that I wanted you to be reformed, so that your magic could help us... I admit there was some of that in the purpose. But I never intended to use and control you! What kind of being do you take me for?!"

Her voice broke and she looked away as she held back a sob. "I wanted to change the bitterness and darkness within you for the better. That's all I wanted-you were free to be yourself! You're making the same mistake of all those years ago... You're the same clueless child that refused to understand a thing..."

He gritted his teeth and glared at her while she spoke. He growled as she lowered her head so that her mane shadowed her eyes. "You're not actually serious about this, are you?"

"As I said earlier... Dead serious. I used to think about all the pain and sorrow that you must have gone through during your prison in stone. I swear I still do. It was the least I could do to punish myself for what I did-something I knew wasn't fair. I didn't care if it was for the better, I just didn't want you to suffer anymore. Even if it meant taking high risks, I would _not_ make you spend another great deal of your life that way."

Miseria rolled her eyes and glared at Celestia. Oh, what a **liar**! Trying to sweet and guilt talk him-please! As if that's gonna work! You just don't know when to give up, do you?/i

"I carried out the plans for your reformation with your best interest in mind. It was for your own good; if you changed your mindset and perspective, even just a bit, then you would never hurt yourself like you did in the past. If you saw the world differently and understood its need for balance one day... If you even embraced it... Then I would never have to lose you again, Discord. Or... so I thought..."

Miseria held in a guffaw as she watched Discord practically simmer with contained, silent anger. _Yeah, right! If it was for his best, then I'm doing all of this for them to end together!_

"I'll say this once and for all; I do not wish to make you give up who you are or what you want to do. I would never do that to you-it would be as bad as sealing you away again. It would be so selfish... If I tricked you and shaped you into what I wanted... That would not be love from me."

"It took you long enough to realize that." Discord floated away from her while he spoke with the same cold tone, and stared at her with unmoving eyes. "Way too long."

"I know there's still something. You're listening to me, and that's more than enough. I only... Oh, Discord, I only want you to be good and true to yourself! I only want you to be free without being a danger to Equestria! Is that too much to ask?! I know you've matured enough to know what sacrifices are now-please, listen! You can be and do anything else you want, just don't damage my kingdom!"

He snarled as he watched her cry, then turned away from him. "Enough. That's enough, shut up!"

Her voice lowered a bit as she continued to stare at him. "...I already know that you're not capable of hurting." She smiled just a bit as he twitched with anger and frustration. "Yes, you heard me. Threaten me and the kingdom all you wish... But I know... Even if you turn it upside-down, I know you will never _harm_ a soul in that chaotic kingdom..."

She looked around at the forest and then stood aside to show her injuries. "The barrier that hurt me does not belong to you, does it? Well, that just proves that you would never... and have never wished to hurt anyone. You're good, and I know it. You just have to realize it yourself once again."

"Are you done with your boring chatter? Because I don't mean to rush, but I have _important_ matters to attend to, Celestia. There's somepony worth my time waiting for me."

Celestia's breathing became a bit more labored as she grew weaker. She shut her eyes closed for a second to try to concentrate. _Focus. Just hold on a little longer._ She trembled from the effort of pushing herself up.

"Oh, you're worse for wear now, aren't you? You should just stay down and give up-there's nothing you can do now. You've definitely seen better days. The Prince will be simply shocked when-"

"...Do you honestly believe that?" Celestia's voice was firm and serious as she kept her head lowered.

He looked at her again as she slowly raised her head, then gasped as the silent vehemence in her eyes pinned him where he stood. _What is she up to now...?!_

"Well, Discord... Let me ask you something. Do you think... that if I had found _love_ in Modest... I would have bothered to come here... nearly get myself killed... endure all this humiliation and a broken heart... Just to receive... _this_...? To receive this ingratitude and be scorned by you of all?!" She gritted her teeth as she started sobbing. "Who in their right mind would go through all that for someone that is so cruel and... seemingly_heartless_... if they love someone else?! Tell me, who would ever do that?! Listen to yourself!"

Discord stared at her, then lowered his gaze as she continued to cry. "..."

"I keep telling you to listen to what you're saying... I keep telling you many things... I came here for _you_! I came here to explain!" She winced and groaned a bit. "I wanted to fix the damage I caused, and ease the hurt that I made you suffer through again!"

Her vision blurred as she felt a wave of throbbing pain spread through her body. "I... I came here to tell you that I... I...!" The magic aura in her horn faded as she fell on the ground, unconscious from exhaustion.

Miseria giggled as she watched Celestia. _Yeah, you're beaten! How do you like that? It's refreshing to get a taste of defeat for once, isn't it? That's what you get for hurting Discord!_

Discord heard Miseria laugh, but did not pay much attention to her. He watched the fallen Sun Princess for a few more seconds before he turned away and continued to issue chaos. However, he found that the minutes passed and he could not concentrate on any interesting spells.

"Serves her right, brother! She finally got what she deserved, don't you think? We should have a bit more fun with her!" Miseria appeared next to Celestia and poked her with her hoof. "Ooh, I know! We should make her our servant. No, wait-we should turn _her_ into stone! Along with all the Elements of Harmony for decoration!"

Discord stared ahead, deep in thought, as Miseria cheered and hopped around Celestia. "...Miseria... What spell was Celestia talking about? She said that Modest was under a spell... What did she mean?"

Miseria stopped skipping on some floating rocks to look at him. "Huh? Oh." _That little detail._ She shrugged and stared at him with a perfectly calm expression. "I don't know, brother. She probably made it all up. I wouldn't put it past her, you know."

He held his lion arm with his eagle claw and put his paw over his mouth as he kept thinking. "But... She's right, you know..." He winced a bit as she remembered the hurt look on Celestia's eyes as she questioned him. "...Why would she bother coming here if she's with Modest already?"

_"Who in their right mind would go through all that for someone that is so cruel and... seemingly __**heartless**__-"_ He shook his head quickly to try to tune out her words. _Alright, alright, stop it right there. We got carried away. Geez, even thinking about her is very annoying!_ He looked at Miseria questioningly.

"Gee, I don't know. Why are you asking _me_? To 'apologize', I guess. According to _her_, anyway. You know the goodie-goodie horseshoes that she is. Or... pretends to be." She floated closer to him and rubbed herself against his side. "Maybe Luna or Fluttershy sent her here to talk to you! Nopony could get through the barrier, so the all thought of the sunny heroine. Though I'm surprised she did it."

Discord sighed and looked away from her once she finished talking. Before he could continue speaking out his thoughts, though, she clapped her hooves and appeared different things around them.

She bounced on a few bubbles that were made out of 'liquid' forest ground and laughed when she watched them repel each other. "These are gonna be good for our new kingdom! Canterlot, the true Chaos Capital of the World! With Equestria as its mainland!" Her smile faded a bit as she watched him pace around.

"But... This... I... This doesn't make any sense... She was here for something else-and she said it! But why on earth would she come and lie now...?" Celestia's words and his own thoughts began to make him feel paranoid. He winced and held his head as her words played back again.

_Damn this thing... It's always... 'Came here for me'... H-hold on, now you're just grasping at straws! She couldn't... Not after all she did...!_

Miseria continued to watch him in silence as he muttered to himself. "..." She looked at the ground, then sighed. _Well, it's all means to an end... Remember. It'll all wear off in no time. Just wait. It'll be worth it._

Discord held his head as he whispered to himself, his eyes quickly darting from side to side while thoughts flooded his mind again. _There's no way she'd be sorry for turning me into stone. That's what she had to do for her blasted kingdom! She just wanted me to believe her so she could manipulate me as she wished. Miseria's right; that's all she ever wanted from me._

"I don't wish you to give up all that you are."

Lies! She did-from the very beginning! Nopony here ever accepted what I am. They never loved me-

"That would not be love from me."

That's right, it wasn't love! He grunted and fell on his knees as other memories and thoughts raced through him. _I... I hate this, it feels... horrible...!_

"We art sorry We were not so kind to thee in the beginning, Wilder... We wilt always be friends."

L-Luna?!

"I carried out... your reformation... with your best interest in mind..."

"...I used to think about all the pain and sorrow that you must have gone through... I swear I still do."

"...something I knew wasn't fair."

Celestia... But how could she...?

"I didn't want you to suffer anymore."

"...wanted to fix the damage I caused, and ease the hurt..."

She came... thinking of _**me**__?!_ His heart sank when she reached into Celestia's memory and witnessed how sincerely bad she had felt when he stormed out of the palace. Within her memory, he saw her determination and watched her push tirelessly through Miseria's spell.

_It couldn't be... She wasn't... She didn't lie..._ "No... I..." His eyes opened wide with shock, and he started to tremble as his voice dropped. "What have I..."

Miseria touched his arm gently. "Discord, just let it go..."

Discord growled and shut his eyes closed. "But this doesn't make any _sense_!"

She winked and hid inside cotton candy clouds. "Make sense? Ohh, what fun is there in making sense?" She covered her mouth with her hooves and giggled.

"Miseria, I have had just about enough-"

She bit on one of the clouds and licked her lips before talked again. "Brother, what does it matter why she was here? You really ought to calm down."

She made a face as one of the clouds constantly clung to her. _Oh, c'mon..._ She slapped it away, then vanished it with a zap of her tail. She then turned to look at Discord again. "You're getting rather paranoid. Besides..." She caressed his neck and smiled. "You said you were going to forget all about her for me."

"I was... Until Celestia showed up and said all those things! She particularly mentioned Modest being under a _spell_..." He frowned and gave her a suspicious look. "Miseria, were you involved in this?"

Miseria blinked with a bit of surprise as she noticed that he grew increasingly serious, if not desperate. She became a bit worried about his insistence. _He looks like he's about to lose it... And, not in the chaotic way that I really like... N-not even the angry one..._

She swallowed as she realized that Discord was going through something completely different and unknown to her. Yet, at the same time, it was vaguely familiar. _He's going mad, isn't he...? Not what I expected..._

She chuckled nervously and backed away as he approached her. "Heh, heh... Wh-why would you think that? What makes you think I had anything to do with it? I told you, she's making it up! It's something she totally would do, she wants to separate us!"

She dove into the clouds to try to escape his pressure.

"But she didn't even know about us until she came here... Until she was right in front of us..." He reached into the clouds and pulled her out by her tail, unaffected by the zapping energy that her tail was made of.

"B-brother!" She yelped and looked up at him as she started to squirm. "Brother, let me go!"

"Miseria, ANSWER ME!" He grabbed her in his claw and paw and shook her desperately. "Are you responsible for this or not?!"

_He's interrogating me as though I did something __**wrong**__. I did it all for him! Now..._ She panted a bit and looked at him worriedly while she shivered only once.

Now, after all she had done, Discord stared at her with crazed eyes that no longer held the fun, chaotic madness that she loved, or even the anger and contempt that she could have enjoyed.

The Dark One had told her nothing about the strange emotions that she now saw in his eyes.

_I... I have to reassure him of everything... I have to tell him, tell him that all I did was for his sake... So that he'd snap out of whatever troubled him! So that I'd free him from that annoying, bothersome princess... That's... There's no choice, there's no other way to save him!_

She shut her eyes closed and gritted her teeth as she tried to straighten out her thoughts. "Just... Brother, just... Alright, alright! Yeah, I did it! I'm responsible for it! Last night-I prepared all of it last night!"

Discord blinked and lowered her just a bit as she breathed quick and desperately.

"You... You were so tired that taking you out hardly took any effort. Really, you were out cold before I could even think of singing you to sleep... Then you just slept right through it all!"

"That... That night... It was after I returned from working with Applejack..."

"So that's why you were so tired!"

"We had spent the evening and the night together... And even so... Miseria, you... You dared..."

"You fell asleep on your own! I told you, I hardly had to do anything!" She looked aside and fidgeted with her hooves. "I practiced my magic, and then I made all of this. I held it all of as a surprise... So it all would happen at once... All on this day that you'd become my king! It took a lot of effort to disguise it, too..."

He frowned with confusion as he continued to listen to her. "You didn't..."

Miseria smiled just a bit. "That night, I put Modest under a spell and made him cling to Celestia like there's no tomorrow. It was very fun to twist his mind around and turn him into an obedient toy."

_The spell... It was all her hypnosis... Of course... After all, she's a creature of Chaos, isn't she...?_

"I was only thinking of you."

"You lied to me..."

"No, not lied at all, brother! No, I never lied. I told you Celestia was bad for you, didn't I? She was! I never... I never said..." She shook her head and tried to lighten things up. "Oh, never mind that... I had to tweak a few strings so that I'd finally win. And I won! We won, brother! And it felt so good..."

She vanished from his eagle claw and jumped on his chest. "You'll finally be free of hurt and complications so that you can be my king, big brother, and we can play around in the Country of Chaos forever!"

Discord's eyes widened with shock as he heard Miseria's confession. "You orchestrated all of this..." He slowly turned his head and glanced at Celestia. "All of it..."

He then snarled in anger and glared at the beautiful, mismatched alicorn. "Miseria, you...!"

He snatched her up by her lower claw and held her upside-down, with his lion paw menacingly raised above her. "You have no idea what you've just done, do you?!"

"Discord-"

"Oh, how _dare_ you play around with me like that, Miseria?! How dare you manipulate _me_, Miseria?! ME?!"

"Brother, please-"

"I should have known something like this was to be expected from the Dark One's most recent creation. Nothing but a bunch of manipulative lies in a pretty package to make me drop my guard-to have me destroy everything in this world that I ended up holding dear with my own claws!

Miseria flinched when he finished screaming. She gave him a desperate, pleading look. "No, brother-it wasn't like that! I just wanted us both to embrace chaos and have fun! I-I wanted to have the fun that you had back then-back when you were free! Brother, I wanted to give all that happiness to you-and to me, too! I wanted us both to be happy like that!"

She gasped as she watched him unsheathe the claws from his lion paw. "Oh, no...!"

Just when he was about to strike her, Discord's eye twitched and his arms trembled. The small moment of hesitation made him sigh and calm down just a bit. He stared at her with a face now heavy with disappointment. "...No... You're wrong."

Miseria cringed for a second, then looked at Discord when she realized that he was not going to strike her. Then she grunted when he released her on the ground. "Oof!"

"Being evil and chaotic did not bring me any happiness or freedom. It just left me trapped deep within a very lonesome shadow. A shadow sealed inside within cold stone for a thousand years."

Miseria kept looking at him as he kept talking without any hint of stopping soon. _What are you saying...?_

"Being good may not be as fun... But in the short time that I spent doing things right... I found other things that finally helped me become... complete." He glared down at her as she tried to object. "The answer is no, Miseria. I cannot accept and share a life with you anymore."

"...You're not serious. You just... So you just give up on me the moment you find I may not be to your liking." Her eyes teared up as she stepped back. "How can you do that?"

"Silence-it's not like that! Don't play with words like that, Miseria. You of all know why I'm saying this. And if we're wondering about things, answer me how you could lie to and manipulate someone that was so close to you-a brother! How could you lie to me like that?!"

"I told you, I didn't lie-"

Discord waved his paw aside and made her quiet down. "I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear anything coming from you. In the end... I know I'm no one to say, but... I've _changed_ now, Miseria. I will embrace change now, because... It will be good for me. I can't have a life based on lies... which you made me believe were acts of fate and somepony else's cruelty... I can't accept that and I won't."

Miseria flinched again as Discord stomped his lizard claw forward. "Okay..."

"I won't have a life that will only leave me empty once again. That being said, I also want to make very clear that I want no part of you in my current life anymore. Not any of it. I want you to stay well away from me... from us... for the rest of the time you spend here."

He turned his back to Miseria and walked towards Celestia, vanishing the dry influence that the chaotic magic had in her surroundings.

She blinked and stared at him in shock. "Wh-what...? B-but... But, big brother..."

"Don't you ever call me that again."

She shook her head and ran over to him, tugging on his tail. "Brother, wait! I told you, it wasn't a lie! I-I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to be with you! The good times we had, the fun, neither of them were a lie! I never lied about my feelings!" She whimpered as he kept moving forward.

"Oh, no... Discord, I didn't do anything wrong! All I did was play a game! I played a game for you, brother! It was a game that I won! It's not fair, you can't do this! I won you, big brother!"

_She won me..._

"Discord, you said you were going to teach me! You said you were going to stay with me no matter what! No, no, don't go! You can't leave me for her-it's not fair! She already lost, you can't pick her again!" She wrapped her hooves around his side and tried to pull him back.

"Let me go."

"No! Please don't leave me, I don't want you to go! I'm not lying, I swear! Brother, I'm not lying!" Her eyes filled with tears as she watched him lift Celestia off the ground. "Oh, brother...!" She muttered in a whisper before she started to sob.

He stopped once he carried Celestia in his arms. He didn't turn to face Miseria, but still listened to her childish cries and pleas. "You... _won_ me, Miseria? Now, whatever do you mean by that?"

Miseria sniffled as she rubbed her eyes with her hoof. "I-I did my best... I did everything to... I beat the game, brother! I was supposed to win you; I wanted to win you, and I did! Celestia lost, she doesn't deserve you at all! She never stood a chance in this game, it was all mine from the very beginning!"

He chuckled wryly and gave Miseria a disappointed, icy look that made her shrink in fear and shock. "...I was not aware that I was a trophy to win, Miseria." He snatched his tail away from her and stepped forward.

"But... But, brother... You..." She frowned and walked after him. "It's not fair! Why not?! You became a _statue_ for her! And you did it twice! Why wouldn't you be _my_ trophy?! Why can't you be just mine?! I would never make you a statue. I would never humiliate you like that!"

He looked up at the unevenly colored sky, deep in thought once again. "I didn't become a statue for anypony, Miseria. Nopony wished for that to happen. I know that now... Those were the drastic measures that the Elements of Harmony and the princesses were forced to take to keep me from the wrong path."

"But... You weren't in any wrong path! They were the ones who-"

"Now, a trophy..." He chuckled and shook his head. "_That_ would have been something that a certain somepony would have decided to turn me into, wouldn't it? Neither of them were my decisions to become, but a trophy would be worse. A trinket that somepony decided to make of me-how humiliating!"

"I-it's not like that... If you would just let me explain..."

"Oh, ho-ho, now _who_ is pleading and begging for a chance to explain? Rather just, I'd say. 'What goes around comes around', and I never thought it'd be so precise... It seems like you understood the difference, Miseria. Now, taking that into consideration..."

Miseria watched him pace around before he stopped and pierced her once again with a glare, though this time his eyes held contempt and disgust. _Oh... Oh, no... N-no, don't do that..._

"Well, I think I'd much rather be nopony's statue than the trophy of the likes of you."

Her heart sank and she froze in place when the blow of his words hit her. Her ears lowered and her coat actually turned the slightest gray from the shock. "I..."

"You know what, Miseria? I was wrong about you and everything I was tricked to believe of you. I was wrong, I accept it. And I will keep pointing these things out to you because you deserve to acknowledge them and learn from them, if you're ever possible of that."

"No! S-stop-"

"I never should have paid the slightest attention to you. All that got me was a ruined life once again... So you could pick me up from the remains and treat me like a marionette. With Celestia... Well, perhaps I _was_ a statue... but never a trophy."

"Brother, please don't be so-listen to me! Don't be so stubborn-listen! You're much more than-"

"You will have to learn to value others... just like I had to. Until then, I cannot help you, Miseria."

"Wh-what are you saying? What are you talking about?! Brother, you can't... You can't leave me like this! I need you!" She stepped closer to him and tried to touch him. "Can't you hear me? I need you!"

"Oh, you need no one, Miseria. No one except yourself. I have had enough of that selfishness. Unlike you, I want to be different. I will fix the mistakes that you forced me to make, if I can. Thanks to you, _beloved sister_; I'll have to spend a great deal of time in pain again. Because I assure you, I will not give up on the princesses or the rest, even if they refuse me as long as I live. Does that make you feel better?"

"But you deserve-"

"Don't talk about what I deserve! _You_ have no right to talk about what I deserve! Don't ever look for me, Miseria... Until you have truly learned to be different and are capable of fixing your mistakes. And don't call me your 'brother' again. I won't ever see myself as such again."

Miseria gasped and flinched as he lowered his head while he started to walk again.

"...It would be foolish to consider myself something close to you when all you see in me is a trophy that you won in a little competition. Good luck with the rest of your games, Miseria. I hope winning them is worth it."

With that, he secured Celestia in his arms and teleported through the forest.

Miseria started to cry after the light of Discord's teleportation spell vanished. "Brother... You couldn't..." She closed her eyes and sobbed as she fell on the ground.

She whimpered and trembled when she heard hisses and voices that whispered all around her, though there were no creatures to be found anywhere near her.

She held her lowered head with her hooves and cried out. "No! That's not right! Shut up-what do _you_ know! That's right, nothing-be quiet! I don't wanna hear you!"

_"It's time you realized, isn't it? You can't fool yourself anymore. He's not coming back."_

"Is too! He's my brother. Discord would never leave me alone-even if he's mad! He... He promised!" Miseria shivered and braced herself. "He promised he'd never leave me..."

_"You can't see what lies right in front of you either, can you? He's broken his promise; gone back on his word, and you never even suspected a little bit. He no longer cares about you... Only about the Princess."_

"You're lying! It's not gonna work, you hear? Your tricks aren't gonna work on _me_!"

_"I know exactly what he's thinking. I would've thought the same thing. 'What does it matter, what that monster wants? She's nothing.' You're not nearly half of what he is-"_

She looked at the dark miasma that floated around her. "Of course I am! I'm... I'm better than him! But he's my brother, I didn't wanna hurt him! And I... I...!"

_"You what? You __**love**__ him? Oh, please... What do __**you**__ know about love? You do not exist for that. You don't even exist for Chaos. It's time you stop fooling yourself and playing pretend. Face it; all he did with you was use you. That's right-he used you as much as you used him. He only wanted to have fun with you and forget his troubles for awhile. That's all you ever were. A bit of temporary entertainment."_

Miseria sobbed and pressed her hooves to her ears. "It can't be!"

_"Now that he's through with you, and since you set them up together, he can safely discard you. Such a shame. It would have been quite a scene to behold-had you succeeded. But instead, you brought me this... Such a pathetic display. What a waste of time you were, in the end..."_

Miseria hissed angrily and sat up as her irises glowed yellow for a bit. "Oh, shut up! Shut up already, you old fool! I'm _so_ sick and tired of listening to you. I'm done with you, understand?! Why do you think I've ignored you all this time?! Now I'll get rid of-"

_"And see what happened when you let your rebellious streak get the best of you? That always happens. Never listen to your father, any of you. I know best, don't I? I know what's best for all of you. Stop making a fool of yourself, Miseria. Embrace your purpose once and for all. Embrace your __**true self**__..."_

"No."

_"Reveal who you really are... Unleash what you were destined to bring upon the world-"_

"I said no!" She vanished most of the miasma from the air, then stood up and walked forward as she glared at the sky. "I'm Chaos, you hear?! Chaos! Chaos and Disharmony! That's what I am and that's what I'll be. I am the Queen of-"

_"But you're better than that. You know better than that. Stop living under that clown's disgraceful clown. Go on, Miseria. Show him the consequences of ignoring his master's call and orders!"_

She growled and held her head as she shut her eyes closed. "No, no, no! Leave me..." She screamed as she was surrounded in dark aura. "Stop it! Stop it-alright, alright! Just-just leave me alone!"

She fell on the ground and panted while wiping her tears away. "...I did not want to accept it. I didn't want to do any of it. I..." She sniffed and let out a small sob as she remembered Discord's laughter, and the way that he had supported her during her moments of insecurity, particularly over her appearance.

"Oh, brother...! I looked up to you so much... I wanted to be the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, just like you were... All just for you..." She bit her lip as she closed her eyes and let the tears roll down her face again. "Discord... Discord, how could you...?! How could you! How could you?!"

She stomped her hooves down and started to rampage through the forest while she cried. "How could you do this to me?! How could you reject everything I did for you?! You promised you'd never leave me. Why did you do it, brother? Why did you have to go?! Why couldn't you see...?!"

She stopped when she reached a pond where she saw her upset reflection. She saw that she had grown into the adolescent, beautiful alicorn form without noticing it. "I... Oh, I look awful, don't I...?"

_"You look beautiful. You will discover your true beauty when you're true to yourself."_

Miseria frowned a bit as she touched the water with her hoof, watching it flow with ripples. She gasped as a fragment of memory played above the water, in front of her.

_"...Until then, I cannot help you, Miseria."_

Discord... You really want me gone now, don't you? So badly...? After everything I went through and did for you, this is what I get? I never lied when I said I wanted you beside me...

She looked up at the vision with tears in her eyes, and saw that Discord was nearly out of the forest, still carrying Celestia as he floated through the dry trees.

_"Dis... Discord..."_ Even through the long distance, Miseria could still hear Celestia whisper to Discord through feverish breaths as she had barely regained consciousness.

_Die... Just die... Go away and... Let us be happy again..._ She thought as she gritted her teeth and dug her hooves into the ground while shaking.

_"It's alright, Celestia. Don't worry about a thing."_

"I... I'm sorry..."

"Please don't apologize, Celestia. Please. If you have nothing else to say, then be quiet."

Miseria growled and glared at the scene in front of her. _Die already...!_

She could clearly hear the worry and anxiety in Discord's voice once Celestia fell silent.

_...Maybe the princess won't make it past the forest._ She smiled hopefully and eagerly watched the vision. _Maybe she'll finally die in his arms... Once she does... Discord will finally be free from her! Maybe her death will open his eyes, and let him return to me... His loving little sister..._

She paced around the darkened ground and chuckled a bit. _Once she's gone... Once everything moves on without her... Discord and I will finally be together in peace and chaos!_

Her dancing was interrupted when she heard Discord speak once again.

_"Celestia, hang on. You have to be strong. Don't you dare leave because of this! At least give me a chance to... No, don't give up. I admit it, I can't live without you! I finally see it, I can't live without the balance that you talked about! If you go now, you'll take all my happiness with you. Not only that, but what little sanity I have left, too. I couldn't bear that. I didn't even have the chance to apologize..."_

He gently shook Celestia when she did not respond to anything that he said. He almost stopped in mid-air, but forced himself to continue flying straight ahead. _"You see? I'm already going insane, I'm ready to apologize! That's why you can't go, understand?! Don't you die now... Give me another chance to try...!"_

Miseria remained silent while she listened to Discord make a fool of himself. Her head was lowered, her face unreadable as her mane covered her eyes. She shed the last of her tears; her heart had finally broken completely as she heard the rest of Discord's raving over the distance.

_Please do tell me what to do... I beg of you... I beg of anyone, guide me... What am I supposed to do...?!_ She raised her head stared desperately at the glowing light over the pond.

_"I'll be all alone, Celestia. I know I deserve it, but you don't have to die for me to get what I deserve! Think of Luna! Twilight! Everypony! They all would be devastated if you died!"_

Miseria continued to stare at the light while the images of Discord and Celestia vanished. The light itself withered and dissolved while everything around her began to crack and sizzle.

_"The embodiments of Chaos and Disharmony... Oh, isn't that a most amazing pair?"_

She bared her teeth and growled while dark energy flowed around her and continued to rip things apart. Her memories of Discord were tainted with red as they pounded through her mind.

_"I suppose you're better off with that daft prince of yours, Celestia... I have found my queen of Chaos."_

She opened her eyes in an angry glare; her irises now glowed red as she unleashed her rage and pain through the broken forest land. Her tail released violent sparks of bright blue energy unlike ever before.

Even her face was altered as she let out her anger. The outline of her eyes became darker with dark marks that ran down her face. Her entire self seemed colder and more dangerous now.

The dead dirt was left with scorched hoof prints wherever she stepped. She paid no mind as she smirked and destroyed the last of Discord's abandoned creations.

"No... That's not right. I'm _more_ than that, big brother. And just so you know... You will be more than a trophy for me indeed. See? Just like you want! You're having it your way, not mine! Ohh, see how I have changed, it's so cute!" She stepped forward and chuckled again. "From now on, you won't just be _anypony's_ plaything. You will be mine! My little toy, my trophy, my trinket!"

She floated in the air and held her hooves together. "And guess what! There will be nothing you can do to stop me~" She snickered and looked at Canterlot. "Because I am _far_ above the joking chaos that you call 'power'. Chaos nowadays is nothing but a child's toy."

She raised her hoof and smiled with delight as she watched everything burn away, though there were no flames in sight. Instead of fire, the burning land was flooded with water that rushed without control. Everywhere she turned, something different and destructive happened.

She pointed her hoof to the animals that tried to escape, and giggled when they immediately lost their minds and ran around wild, stampeding one another.

"Oh, yes... Forget Chaos, brother... It's rubbish... Worthless and so last millenium..."

She raised her hooves and floated higher while the broken, twisted magic followed her. **"I AM THE SPIRIT OF MADNESS AND DESTRUCTION!"** She let out a loud, evil laugh and watched as she spread madness and uncontrolled chaos far and wide across Equestria, all at once.

* * *

Whoo. Thirteen pages. Great edits I did to this chapter. I'm very satisfied with the results... Was exhausting, but worth it, and just in time, since I'm going on break for about a month. Might be working on some chapters later, but who knows how long it'll take me to post.

I feel really bad for Miseria... Mixed feelings, really. I am sad, frightened, amazed, shocked, etc.

She lost her beloved big brother, the only creature she loved in the whole world. You just loved him wrong, girl... Didn't know how to behave, just like any other creature from the Dark Land. She did want the best for her brother, and all she wanted was to be with him forever.

But then she grew jealous, and all the feelings that she was suddenly exposed to blended together to confuse her more. She recognized no boundaries in her affection for her brother, so she 'selfishly' claimed Discord all for herself. And, she grew jealous of Celestia for many reasons... But she did not know how to distinguish the delicate line between envying somepony and downright ruin their life to the point of actually hurting the one you're jealous over!

She finally snapped! Probably saw it coming, right? I am so excited over this, sorry... Because now she's down to scary business, and boy, will she do stuff. Is she more frightening than Discord or what. I hope the ending delivered that efficiently...

She's even clever and smart. Unlike Discord, Miseria knew what she was right from the start-she knew that she was meant for Madness and Destruction from the very beginning, under the Dark One's command.

She just chose to ignore it and stick it up His almighty to have fun with someone that she found a good connection. She toned and weakened her power level so that Discord wouldn't suspect anything or be hurt. _That's_ why chaotic magic didn't come out right for her, because she was weighing down her powers too much. She couldn't help having them blow up on her face.

I loved the whole 'statue and trophy' analogy and reflections. Hence, the name (duh). But I felt I may have overused it through the story. There were so many titles I kept coming up with for this chapter. Let's see if you guys come up with something.

While I typed this, I kept thinking of a couple of songs. I don't know if you can picture some of the 'Witch Hunt' (Vocaloid) atmosphere in here... Hint: Miseria praying. There was also the ever present reprise of 'All I Ask of You', from _The Phantom of the Opera_. Totally fits, doesn't it? In fact, I actually prepared a little bit from the lyrics to incorporate into the story, but I felt it was too much. Still, you could read them here.

_"Cherished you and treasured... all that you could be... And how have you repaid me, denied me and betrayed me..."_

"You were bound to notice... Greater joy was she..."

"Brother, I couldn't beat her... the pain she caused was sweeter..."

And then the whole, you know, dramatic outburst, _"You will curse the day you did not do... all that Destruction asked of you~!"_ XD Oh, and if you're wondering what Miseria's voice sounds like when she's in her younger form... I'd imagine it'd be Stevie Bloch, just as she voiced Yachiru Kusajishi from Bleach.


	18. Malady of Equestria

**Malady of Equestria**

Twilight and her friends did their best to remain unharmed by the chaos that had spread through Canterlot.

Rainbow Dash dodged a couple of rampaging clouds. "Whoa! Careful with those!"

Applejack bucked bouncing pieces of bubblegum before they hit a few civilians. "Like we don't have enough to deal with here on the ground..."

"Watch it!" Pinkie Pie loaded her party cannon and shot at the stampeding mailboxes. "Phew! That was close. Those sure are some moody boxes! What, did they get the wrong mail delivered?"

"Oh, dear... Look at the city. It's ruined! We have to find a way to stop this, Twilight!" Rarity quickly looked at her friend and then moved out of the way before a few shambles fell on her. "It's a wreck!"

"The Elements of Harmony won't work much. That means there's something stronger than-"

"There you are! Get over here, quickly! It's urgent!" Discord's voice made them all turn around immediately.

Twilight smiled at him once they caught up. "Thank goodness you're finally here! Listen, Discord, we need some-" She gasped when she noticed Celestia. "The Princess!"

Fluttershy flew closer to Discord and looked at him worriedly. "Oh, no... Discord, what happened...?"

Rainbow Dash gave Discord a look and crouched in the air. "Oh, you better not have done anything to her! Start explaining-it better be good if you know what's good for you!"

"Rainbow Dash, darling, do mind your manners. Remember-nothing was ever accomplished well through the difficult, violent approach." Rarity walked forward and glared at Discord as well. "We do want explanations, though, if you'd be so kind. Not only for the princess, but for the whole of Eques-"

"These accusations are pointless. One, it wasn't me, and two, we don't have time for this! Can't you see Celestia's in bad shape here?! Not to mention that we can't leave things like this, we've got to stop her!" Discord groaned with frustration as the Mane Six gave him different looks.

Luna approached them and looked at Celestia worriedly. "What happened to her? Is she-"

"Finally, somepony with a proper sense of duty! I can't believe I'm saying this, Luna, but you came in the best of moments! Celestia here-"

Luna turned to look at the guards that awaited her orders. "Go on and tell the staff at the Medical Wing to be ready. I want the infirmary ready to go when my sister gets there. Doctor Rounds must also be fully prepared!" She waved her hoof forward and watched the guards leave to issue the message.

Twilight gasped and cast a shield spell just as burning hail fell all over the city. "What is going on?!"

Rainbow Dash looked around with desperation in her eyes. "Oh no. We can't let it go on, it's going to burn the city down in seconds!"

"Wait, we can't rush out there! Somepony could get hurt!" Twilight looked up at Rainbow Dash as she tried to fly around the pieces of burning rock. "Get back here! You might make it worse!"

Applejack looked at Twilight and shrugged. "Or she might make it better. Odds are just the same. Not much we can do anyways, right?" She moved aside and watched as the others dodged the flames as well. "Alright, Rainbow. Do your best to take it down, now!"

The blue pegasus flew around the disaster for a few more minutes while using the best of her weather control skills. "No chance! I can barely get around it, leave alone control it!" She grunted and moved away before the flaming hail hit her. "I'm so over crazy, dangerous weather like this-"

They all gasped and looked around when night suddenly fell and covered the city in darkness.

Twilight groaned with frustration. "This is even worse! Nopony's gonna find their way to safety now! We're as good as blind, sitting ducks!" She grimaced when she heard the sound of something crashing in the background. "Oh, that's not good."

Luna paced around while trying to bring the sky to normal. "It's useless... Th-that wasn't-"

"Princess Luna, you can't finish the night?" Twilight walked over to Luna and looked around, cringing every so often as more accidents happened and more ponies freaked out.

"I'm sorry, but it obviously wasn't my spell to begin with. It's set there and my power won't get it down. No power will." Luna sighed with annoyance as she glared at the moonless sky. "Chaos needs to stop messing with the day and night. I swear, when I find whoever did this..."

She shut her eyes closed and grunted with effort as she cast more spells to try to bring everything back to normal. "Oh, I'll really show them...!"

Discord growled as he looked around at all the destruction that consumed the city. He did not need to see past Canterlot; he already knew that all of Equestria had succumbed to disaster. _Miseria... You're going too far... Way too far. This isn't going to help your situation with me, you better know that._

He glared up at the light blue barrier that Luna cast over Canterlot. "That won't help much, Luna. The city is already infested with something more despicable than chaos, so there's nothing we can do anymore."

"Discord, there's always something that can be done!" Luna raised her head as her horn let out a bright, final blast of blue energy to strengthen her barrier. She panted a bit while she observed her work. "See? At least the weather won't damage the city much longer. It will give more time for evacuation and rescue procedures, which is what we will mostly need."

"Well, if you say so..."

"If I say it will hold, then it will! I used a lot of my power on that spell and it's working! Now don't just stand around, you've wasted enough time in here. Take Celestia to the infirmary! She's in a very bad condition, can't you see that?!"

"You don't need to talk to me like that, you-"

"Go! We'll talk later! I've got things to handle in here!" Luna pointed at the palace with her wing and shook her head as Discord teleported inside. She stepped forward as the Royal Guard quickly followed after her. "We need more protective spells-get to it! Make sure that it doesn't get worse, because believe me, it can!"

Twilight looked at her friends. "Alright, let's stay close to the Guard and do anything Princess Luna commands. Right now, we're better off carrying out her strategy." She nodded at them and ran along with the Guard while they patrolled the broken city.

~~~

Discord muttered to himself as he teleported in front of the infirmary. He looked down at Celestia, who still laid motionless in his arms despite all the movement. "Oh, c'mon... We're already this far..."

A few doctors gathered around Discord, led by the chief doctor, Stable Rounds. Nurses quickly followed while Discord gave them all confused looks.

"We'll take it from here, please do step aside." The nurses carefully grabbed Celestia and placed her on a bed to transport her into the room.

Discord raised his claw to try to call them back and walked after them. "W-wait, I-you can't just-"

The yellow unicorn doctor mare stepped in front of Discord and shook her head. "Calm down. We'll take good care of her. Now don't get in our way, alright? We'll be working hard." She raised her tools and stepped into the room while nurses ushered Discord out of the doorway.

Discord shook his head and looked at the nurses. "No, wait... Don't take me out! I want to go in there-I brought her here, didn't I? I have all the right to be in there, too! I want to make sure that-"

"Doctor Rounds already told you, the Princess will be fine with us."

"We need all the space and concentration we can get to work. This is the Princess, after all." The second nurse shook her head indignantly and headed into the room.

The last nurse sighed and gave Discord an apologetic look. "As with all procedures, sir, you'll have to wait out here. Please don't make a fuss, I promise we'll take good care of Princess Celestia. That's what we're here for, after all." She nodded at him, then followed after her workmates.

Discord sighed impatiently and dropped onto a chair while he glanced around with desperation. _I can't believe I'm wasting time here... But... It's not like I can do anything else, is it?_

He glared up and immediately spotted the ticking clock that hung over the entrance of the room. _How on earth have neither of them been annoyed by that thing yet?!_

He snapped his fingers and smiled a little when he busted the clock into a cloud of colorful smoke. "Well, that helped somewhat..." He looked at the door and sighed while holding his head.

~~~

Prince Modest stood next to the Mane Six and Luna while they fought off a stampede of delusional deer. "Listen up! I'll hold the line here in Canterlot with the Royal Guard and reinforcements. You seven must head out to the Everfree Forest and face this creature."

He grunted a bit as some of the spells from the Royal Guard vanished. He quickly strengthened them again just as the animals tackled the barrier again. "Oh no, you don't..."

Rarity frowned as she stared at Modest. "Your Highness, with all due respect, what creature are you talking about?! Nothing has shown up to be held accountable for this disaster since it-"

Luna stepped forward and looked at the Mane Six. "No creature will show up anytime soon, but we all know what it must be. A creature of chaos, of course! No-more dangerous than chaos. It can wreck all of this without even being present. Listen, everypony. Only the Elements of Harmony can defeat this-"

Modest nodded as he stepped closer to Luna and the rest. "And even with those you might find it difficult to fight against her. Th-that's right, I remember some of it... She's... She's quite a manipulative expert. Her magic is very strong, and if you're not careful, she'll lure you into her traps and spells. Go on and stay cautious. We'll keep things under control as much as we can here, but you-"

Luna shook her head and looked at him. "I'm staying here to help you and the Guard with as much power as I can summon. All of it will be needed to keep Canterlot safe, leave alone the other towns. It will take more than once source of strong magic power to keep them all within our protective spells."

Modest stared at Luna, then sighed and nodded when she did not budge. "Very well, as you wish, Your Highness. Thank you for your assistance-"

"Don't mention it. It's my duty, as always." She stepped forward and cast another spell to push more of the chaos away from the barriers. "It's settled. You six are good to go!"

"Very well. Thank you for the help. I promise we'll do the best we can!" Twilight looked at her friends and nodded at them. "You heard them, let's get going!"

Modest sighed and followed the Royal Guard as they prepared to defend another section of the city. "Good luck, little ponies... We'll need much of it."

Luna watched the Mane Six as they left the area. "They'll be fine. Never let us down, it won't change now."

She looked around at the city as it continued to change under the power of Miseria's magic. "...Do you have any more spells prepared? I don't think we'll be able to hold this back for much longer, but our very best can help us hang on. Yes, we can make it through all of this if we organize a good plan."

"More spells, huh? And stronger, too... I agree; they would definitely need to be on another level. These hardly keep up with her magic anymore. Stronger spells..." He smiled a little as his horn glowed with his dark purple magic aura. "I do have a couple in mind!"

A ring of energy circled around him as he cast his spell. It charged for a few seconds, then spread out through the city. As the citizens and soldiers came into contact with the rippling energy, they found their bodies healed and their minds protected from the maddening effects of the destructive magic.

Luna looked around and smiled as the healing effects spread out. "To reach that far... And you're protecting them almost completely. It's very impressive, I'll admit." She nodded at him before she used the influence of her night magic to repair the broken buildings. "This should be able to shift their current state..."

She let out a heavy sigh once she stopped to take a break. "I didn't get much done... It's taking more effort than usual. I mean, I know night magic has its limits for altering reality, but it should be able to handle this much... The buildings haven't been affected by the chaotic magic so far."

Modest cringed as a shop literally crumbled to dust and blew out into a cloud to block the road. "Well... Looks like they changed their mind about that."

"It must be the night. It's fake, so it hardly gives my powers any strength. I actually doubt they increased at all. It was no different when Discord manipulated the sun and moon when he was in power."

She shook her head and stomped her hoof. "It's always my night. They always have to fool around with it like it means nothing! They have no idea what they make a mockery of."

"Don't worry, Princess. This will soon be over, and we'll be able to give them a lesson. I'll be happy to help you. You're not the only one that has a score to settle."

Luna smiled a little as he continued to walk. "Well, thank you. I'm glad you're finally getting your head back in the right place." She walked after him and looked away just as he blushed.

~~~

After what appeared like days (or nights) on end, Discord finally saw Doctor Rounds emerge from Celestia's room in the infirmary. _She's finally out!_ He bit his lower lip and stood up from his chair.

Doctor Rounds sighed wearily and looked around. She raised an eyebrow when she spotted Discord.

He rushed before her and stood still for a few seconds, then proceeded to fidget nervously. He didn't bother asking anything as she watched his anxious behavior; all he did was give her a worried, expectant look.

Doctor Stable Rounds shook her head to let her yellow mane drape over her shoulders in a comfortable fashion. She pushed her glasses up before she proceeded with her explanation. "Thank you for waiting. We're still tending to her injuries... They were all caused by a spell, and it was quite powerful..."

"R-really?"

"Oh, yes. It left quite the injuries, she was exposed to it for a considerable amount of time. It was an offensive spell that left a very bad trace. Very powerful. Perhaps too powerful."

Discord swallowed anxiously and played around with his claw and paw. "But... That won't leave any permanent injuries, will it? She'll be okay, right? Not disabled or anything..."

"Hopefully not. We're doing the best we can, and her body's abilities and innate powers are helping quite a bit. It's a blessed thing that the Princess is a good, strong alicorn. If it wasn't for her alicorn healing, she would probably be gone long ago. So it's good... She's asleep right now."

He sighed with relief and scratched his head. "Asleep... Th-that's..."

"But it's not all solved and good. Despite all our work, she still developed a high fever from the effect and impact of the injuries and the foreign, powerful magic. She's delirious from it, but she refuses to take any medicine that we try to give her. My nurses just can't get it down-she's too strong for us and we don't want to hurt her any further. We don't want anypony hurt."

_Wait, she's that strong? Even in this state, huh? She's always been a stubborn one..._

"She keeps asking for you." Doctor Rounds looked up at him and noticed his surprised expression. "Yes. She constantly called for you as soon as she woke up somewhat. Hasn't stopped ever since-" She grunted a bit as the blinding flash of Discord's teleportation surrounded the room.

_...Gone before I was even finished... Well, I can't hold it against him. The Princess requested to see him-even he can't refuse to comply. Hopefully he can do... well, something that will help her._ With that, she walked over to the files and notes that she had piled up on a desk.

~~~

Discord quietly entered Celestia's room and made his way to her bedside. He knelt down and took a deep breath before he held one of her hooves in his claw.

She whimpered in her sleep and breathed quickly from the fever. "D-Discord..." She shook her head, then turned on her bed a few times. She trembled and clutched the blankets closer to her as she continued to mutter and whisper. "Please... Please do not leave again...!"

He bowed his head in shame and did not look at her as he spoke. "...I'm sorry, Celestia..." He gritted his teeth and turned away. "I'm so sorry..." He couldn't think of anything else to say or do. He could hardly deal with himself at that moment.

Just when he decided to leave her in peace and deal with his own wretched emotions without affecting Celestia, she groaned and opened her eyes a bit to immediately look at him.

"Discord... Ngh, you're..." She tried to move, but was too weak to do so. She looked at him again, this time with fear and anxiety in her eyes. "You're... No, you can't be here. I'm dreaming, aren't I?"

Before Discord could try to calm her down, he was interrupted because she continued to mutter to herself. "Celestia, don't worry, you're-"

"This has to be a dream..." She sobbed and trembled as she tried to move away from him. "Please... Please stop it! I'm begging you, leave me alone! N-not now, please don't use this magic! I can't stand it... I can't stand any more of this trickery, just... Oh, please forgive me...! Forgive me and leave me alone...!"

He summoned quite a few choice words against himself and let them rattle on and on in his mind to accompany the insults that suddenly raged within him. Before those were even done, Discord allowed himself to wallow in the guilt of seeing Celestia in such a wrecked state.

_All because of you... Brute, insensible cretin, you...! Oh, the worst part isn't even that... She's..._ He covered his face with his claw, then groaned and shook his head. _She's actually worried and sorry-for me! She... She felt like that all along... She was sorry and worried all along, and I was too blind and... immature to see it, like a dumb child. Shame on you, Discord. Aren't you supposed to be cunning, and smart, and... Too skilled and chaotic to trick like this! Oh, you were played like every other fool. And she paid for it._

Those were some of the many things that currently antagonized him the most. He had blamed Miseria for tricking her (he had blamed and cursed her during his way to the palace), but...

_It wasn't only her fault. It was mine as well. I doubted her. Of all creatures that I could have ever doubted, it was Celestia. And not for the first time, either... That's it, I really am a monster...!_

Discord would have inflicted upon himself the worst physical pain he could possibly think of, hadn't it been for Celestia's stuttered pleas and delirious apologies that now distracted his attention.

He shook his head and took a deep breath to straighten his thoughts. _I have to stop being so selfish. I can't do this to her anymore, it's... It's wrong-no, beyond wrong, it's far from anything I'd ever do. I... I'll punish myself in some other way... Later on, when it doesn't hurt her._

Whenever Celestia moved, his claw and paw held her in place so she would not stir too much. The troubling thoughts left his head as he focused in keeping her steady. He felt another hit of shame as he noticed that she flinched whenever he leaned closer to her.

"Celestia. Celestia! Calm down, you'll strain and hurt yourself!"

He held her face with his paw and turned her head to make her stare at him with wide, frightened eyes. "It's me! You need to take a deep breath and settle down, Tia. Take it easy. It's just-"

"Discord! Oh, y-you're here, I... I can't believe it... Not with everything that has happened... Please don't do this to yourself! It's my fault! It's all my fault! I need to make you-" She shut her eyes closed and started crying again before she could finish speaking.

He covered her mouth as she kept thrashing around, then glared at her. When he had enough of her feverish tantrum, his body wrapped tightly around hers to stop her.

"Would you quit apologizing like that?! You didn't do anything, Tia! Snap out of it, this isn't you!" He sighed and stared at her as she whimpered under his paw. Then he calm down when he realized that his own nerves did not help ease hers.

She flinched and gasped when he patted her head. "D-Dis..."

"Don't worry. It's just a dream, Celestia. You're seeing things, it's okay." He snapped his fingers and appeared the bottle of medicine that the doctor had left at the nightstand.

As the bottle floated in the air, his tail wrapped around it so that he could lift it in front of her face. "Okay, here, Celestia. Take this. You'll feel a lot better after you take it, you'll see."

She shook her head vehemently and continued to mutter under her breath. Discord could feel her shivering as she drifted off to fleeting nightmares about him and Miseria.

"Oh, for the love of..."

"No...! This can't be...!"

Discord tried to massage her a bit while he spoke with a patient tone. "Everything is fine now, Celestia. I'm here, with you. I'm going to make things better for you, be sure of it." He watched her turn away from him again, and groaned with annoyance.

_Oh, great... Yeah, this would be a great part of the punishment. Having to deal with this and feel bad about it. She's really not going to budge otherwise, is she? Some stubborn illusions she gets her mind into..._

He rolled his eyes and held his head while he let out a long sigh. _Fine... I'm the one who deserves to be hurt, anyway. So... If worse comes to worse, then it won't be bad, really, because I deserved that hoof to the face, or whatever comes next, in the first place._

He held her face in his paw again and gave her a serious look. "I... I forgive you." Boy, did it disgust him to say that. There was nothing for _him_ to forgive.

"Don't worry, Celestia. Don't worry about me-I ended up okay. See? Yeah, I'm good. I was saved back in the forest, right before I went chaotic and destroyed everything, hurray! It wasn't your fault that I went berserk, or almost did-but I forgive you anyway. I forgive that and any other crime you may have committed against me... If that makes any sense in your currently delusional mind. Okay? You were wrong, I was right, I'm happy to know that."

She broke into soft sobs and leaned against him. She thanked him numerous times while he patted her back to comfort her some more. "Th-thank you... Oh, I needed..."

Discord raised an eyebrow while he stared at her. "Yes, sure. Now, be a good, kind, obedient princess and take this for-mpfh!" Before he could say anything else, Celestia held his face in her hooves and kissed him passionately, surprising him quite a bit to say the least.

His pupils shrank and he blushed bright red while she remained before him, her lips on his. His eyes half closed and he almost lost himself to the bliss of the rough, sudden encounter... However, he was able to get a hold of himself after much struggling, and bring himself to snap his fingers.

A second later, Celestia was choking with the right dosage of pills that she had swallowed from kissing the bottle, while Discord held it right before her face with his tail, in the place where his own lips had been.

Discord glanced up carefully while remaining crouched beneath the bottle. _Well, that would have been funny, under different circumstances... Actually, never mind, it's __**still**__ funny. He held in a chuckle and rolled his eyes. I'm such a shameless, hopeless case..._

He raised his head slowly to the level of Celestia's and laid her gently against the pillows while she groaned weakly. He could see that the medicine was already taking its relaxing effect, for she shook less, and her struggle to breathe lessened.

"Celestia?"

Celestia opened her eyes slightly and groaned when she saw him. She let out a small sigh of relief and whispered his name quietly. She tried to move, but winced when she barely shifted in the bed. "Ngh..."

Discord gently held her down. "It's alright, Tia. Don't move, you've done enough for one day. You had me worried, you know." He still held her hoof, even as he put his eagle claw on her forehead.

Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she watched him feel her temperature.

"It seems like my spell is working along with the medicine. Your fever's lowering by degrees." He sighed and shook his head while he gave his paw a look. "I need to heal more often, I've gotten rusty... Geesh, Paw, you can't even explain yourself properly..."

He blinked and noticed that Celestia was still looking at him as he muttered and mumbled to himself-and his paw. He scratched his head with embarrassment and cleared his throat. _Why the heck am I talking to... whatever it is I'm talking to? This isn't the time!_

He looked aside at his raised claw and raised an eyebrow.

_What? Don't look at me, it's old Paw you started it with._

The raised lion paw shook to the sides a bit. _You've got a sick alicorn there. And I'll lose a pad if I'm wrong, but I think you really just wanted to talk about something more important. Quit your stalling!_

Discord shut his eyes closed for a bit and shook his head quickly to clear his thoughts. He looked at Celestia as she closed her own eyes and let out a weary sigh. "Are you okay?"

"Fine... I just... Just my head spinning..." She opened her eyes again, struggling to remain awake. "I didn't do enough, I know it... I can't believe this happened again, Discord... I should have seen it... Modest's spell... What kind of princess... What kind of ruler am I...?"

"You fought Miseria's spells incredibly, Celestia. I... It's the least I can say. And... You did it for me, no less." He averted her look as he directed his eyes on the grown, once again in deep shame.

"Discord?"

"I can't believe how stupid I was, to... to repay your kindness and second chance the way I did..." He grimaced and turned away. "It's unforgivable. I can't even look at you right now."

She smiled slightly and held him back with her hoof. "...I know it wasn't you... I know you didn't mean it, Discord. You were hurt and mistaken, and you had all reason to be. It's okay to be wrong, even several times; it only gives you those many chances to be better."

He looked at her quietly while she nuzzled his paw. "..."

"It was understandable. It all happened so fast... Don't be too harsh on yourself." She looked up at him and touched his face briefly. "I won't be harsh on myself, either."

He held her raised hoof again and gave her a determined look. "Luna and Modest are doing their best with the guard to defend Canterlot. Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle and the others have gathered the Elements. We won't let her win, Celestia."

She nodded while he spoke, then lifted his face to look at him again. "You... You're actually going to help... protect Canterlot...?" She blinked and looked aside when she found herself in Discord's lion arm.

"I told you before and will only confirm it now. I have _changed_, and now I'll work my hardest to prove that I have, you hear? Now more than ever."

"Oh, Discord..."

"I will make right for the wrong I did you back in the forest. I promise."

"Discord, you don't have to..."

"I need to redeem myself for that. Trust me, Celestia. I... I'm so very sorry... I'll never..."

She nodded again and covered his mouth.

"I believe you... I do... I know it was just... a misunderstanding..." Her words came out weakly as she started to feel tired again. "I know you didn't mean it... The fact that you're here proves it."

Discord finally smiled, unable to help himself as he kissed her forehead.

He felt so eternally grateful for her and the compassion and kindness that made her all the more lovely. So grateful that he couldn't put it into words.

Twilight had been right about everything (as most of the time). He really was quite a lucky guy. Somehow, his wretched luck brought him close to the kindest ponies that he had ever known; Fluttershy and Princess Celestia.

Even Princess Luna had become very dear to him, for despite their rocky beginning, she gave him true friendship and the role of one to look up to... An honor that he did not know how to appreciate back then. Despite the much antagonizing that he caused her, in the end she still opened up to him, albeit cautiously, and blessed him with another chance to regain what they had lost.

He let out a long sigh as he pushed those grateful thoughts aside to try to get up from the bed. There were quite the favors that he had to return out of the palace. He patted Celestia's head before he stood up.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go now. They need my help... Only I can stop Miseria. Stay here and rest, alright?"

"I... I feel dizzy, Discord..." Celestia held her head and frowned with confusion while she tried to think. "Did I actually... kiss something like a...?"

"Ehm, that's just the medicine talking, Tia, I swear. Don't fight it, it'll do you well." He chuckled while he watched her sway under the effects of the medicine and mutter something that he could not quite make out.

He disappeared once he made sure that she was under it for good.

"I know you'll be waiting," he muttered and made his way towards the forest, in the direction where he saw the Mane Six go. He would catch up with them in seconds and hopefully work out a good plan to end it all.

As he thought that, images of Miseria inevitably flooded his head, and he had to stop in his tracks to swipe and snap them out, growing angrier at each one. "You know, you won't stop us! Not _me_! Oh, it was a dangerous game to cross me, Miseria..."

He glared up at the miasma that floated away from Canterlot and collected into the broken forest. With a smirk, he continued floating in his planned direction. "But now that you've shown what you're really made of, things will be more fun. And by 'more fun'... I mean very chaotic. Something you could never quite grasp..."

* * *

Gah! *Breathes heavily, as if put underwater for too long* I finally finished this! I can't believe it took me more than a month to do so! You won't believe how hectic this 'break' has been... I don't even want to remember it, it's been... chaos. Yep. Good, ol' chaos and me writing about it, basically summoning it into my life. Hurray for that...

I'm so glad to have this finally done. I am ashamed that it took me so long, even in break. I mean, I expected to be unmotivated due to my parents being up on my business, and arguments issuing, and other things that I have to take care of, but... Seriously! What happened, Creative Brain? Eh, it went on strike. And on an unstoppable craving for a _Doctor Who_ marathon. That lovely show will be the death of me...

Anyway. No Miseria yet, to my disappointment. Bit of interaction with the Mane Six... A chat and good scene between Luna and Modest (if short, too)... _Plenty_ of mushy romance with Celestia and Discord. I am becoming grossed out, guys; I become more and more certain that I am making Celestia a Mary-Sue. I don't want that! And please don't tell me that Discord is going out of character... I shall fix those things immediately if they are happening!

I thought it was very funny that he tricked her feverish state into kissing the bottle. I wish I could draw that. It looks so funny in my mind. And how he kept going along with her delirium, blaming her for everything, blah blah blah... It's what lovers do. He didn't want to upset her any further.

And what do you know! He's finally (consciously) playing the hero! He's come a long way... (Again, I hope it hasn't been OOC)

Anyways, _thank_ you so much for your BIG patience! I really appreciate it and am sorry that this chapter was such a disappointment. I really, really hope the next one's better for you guys. And luckily, I'll be pretty free by then, because school (a blessing so far, because until this coming semester is over, I will have a lot of free time) is right around the corner.


	19. Game Intro

**Game Intro**

Canterlot continued to suffer through bizarre destruction and dangerous disorder. No part of the city was safe, and everypony nearly went mad from the fearful running and screaming. Just when somepony thought a place was safe, it turned into a potentially hazardous threat that the Royal Guard could barely suppress.

Modest stood his ground in the middle of the city. He lowered his head and cast another protective spell. He grunted when the spell nearly backfired. "Barely managed..."

Luna flew closer to him. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. That's the fifth spell we've had to cast so far. But they're getting weaker... Soon enough it'll be all up to the Elements of Harmony. We won't be able to stand against this level of magic much longer."

Luna smiled and raised her front hooves in the air while she cast another spell. "Oh, don't say such things. Of course we will. I believe we have handled worse. We'll hold out as much as we can, and we'll be sure to surprise this creature. Not everything has to depend on the Elements, you know."

"Either way, they can't fail. I know they won't. They're our last hope against this... Well, sorry. They will be a big help, how's that?"

Luna nodded and followed him. "Better. But they're still trying to get through the barrier that blocks the forest. It all adds up. Everything that is going on comes from that creature, which is hidden in the Everfree Forest, of course. Too bad we weren't able to piece that together sooner."

"Well, we're still trying our best, aren't we? And we're not falling too far behind, if I do say so myself." Modest smiled at Luna after she turned a few of the transformed objects in the street back to normal.

"There we go..." By the time Luna looked up at the restored wheels and chairs, she found them in the air, bouncing around again. "What?! They're-"

She and Modest jumped out of the rushing way of a table that had turned into a spinning plate. They saw it shatter to pieces when it crashed against the burning shop that had stood behind them.

Modest blinked and quietly led Luna away with his wing. "Okay. Well, that pretty much completes some of the night's oddity. All we needed was the spinning table... plates."

Luna rolled her eyes and glared at the ground while she walked. "They'll be able to defeat this. Just you wait, Prince Modest. Because you are right. The Elements of Harmony will put a stop to this before we know it! After bringing down so many enemies..."

Before they walked half a block, they were stopped by the echoing laughter of Miseria that suddenly surrounded them.

_"Oh, Luna. How feeble are your beliefs regarding the fate of Equestria! But it's sweet, you know, that even the Princess of the Night believes the cutesy fairy tales that ponies tell each other for bedtime. If you're in charge of dreams, you're bound to have them rub off on you, I suppose."_

Luna glared around as Modest immediately stood on guard. "Show yourself!"

Miseria's voice laughed again. _"Oh, you're such a joke. How ironic, isn't it? The toughest of the princesses is also the weakest, the one taken least seriously! What should we do with you tonight...?"_

"Oh, I don't think so." Modest's eyes glowed while pieces of shining, gray armor surrounded and clasped around his body. He stepped back to watch Luna's back once the spell was finished. "Don't think it'll be so easy to fool around this time. I know what you're up to."

_"Oh, that spell is useless, Modest. I may not have put a lock on you, but I know exactly what makes you tick now. You ponies are so predictable. Though, you're not a pony anymore, are you? You're my obedient, adorable little dog."_

Modest grunted and shook his head to cancel the spell that tried to overcome him. "I said... not this time!"

_"There's that stubborn willpower again. Annoying little thing. Don't you know, you two? Wait-you don't. You're always caught out of the loop of everything, aren't you? I'm actually stronger than Discord now. The Master of Chaos himself will fall to his knees when he shows up against me! And speaking of Discord..."_

Luna gasped and stepped back when Miseria suddenly appeared before her.

"I think there's an old score to settle between you princesses and him."

Luna frowned and backed away from Miseria some more. "Wh-what are you talking about? Who are you?!"

Modest took a cautious step forward. "She's Miseria, if I remember correctly. The one responsible for all this. She's also the one that cast the spell on me."

"Oh, you don't say."

"Yep, he says, Luna. Let's get back on track. Yes, it's me, Miseria. Spirit of Madness and Destruction, sister of Discord, until... well, recently. About that little debt you have with him... You won't believe it, but he's actually too much of a filly to come claim his prize and deserved revenge himself."

Luna's face got even more serious while she stared at Miseria with a determined, wary gaze. "Say what you want, but I am not afraid of you. Everything that you had done doesn't scare me in the slightest."

Miseria smiled and clapped her hooves together. "Oh, good! That'll make things funnier. It'll be great!" She giggled and spun in the air a bit to take a sitting, floating position. She waved her hoof at them once she was further away.

Modest glared up at her. "Wait, what are you-"

Miseria's horn began to charge with an intense, bright spell. "Bye-bye, Luna!"

Instead of cowering before the attack, Luna lowered her head and concentrated. "It won't be so easy." Her horn glowed as she charged a spell of her own.

The spells clashed for a few seconds before the tangelo light overcame the cobalt blue, glowing energy.

Miseria smirked and laughed as she watched Luna's slow defeat. "Yes! I told you it wouldn't match my power! Go, go, go!" She raised her hooves to her face in anticipation.

Luna gasped and stared at the oncoming light. "No..." She gritted her teeth and tried to fight back a bit more. "Ngh... I can't...!"

Modest's eyes opened wider with horror as he watched Luna turn to stone once the spell fell upon her. "No!"

Miseria watched him run over to Luna. She stared at the statue of Luna, and laughed even louder. "How ironic! How _delightfully_ ironic! And quite nostalgic, too. Don't you think?"

Modest lowered his head on Luna's statue. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

"It seems like all you can be is sorry, huh? A worthless prince is what you are. But then again, I don't blame you. She was worthless as it gets! You two are just made for each other. I should turn you into a nice bed of shrubbery to go around her! It'll be so decorative."

He glared at her as he approached her quietly.

"Ooh. My, that is scary. What are you going to do now? Turn me into parchment? I'd like to see you try..."

Modest gritted his teeth and shut his eyes closed in concentration. His horn emitted sparks and then released blasts of magic that swirled in Miseria's direction. "I won't let you get away with that!"

Miseria laughed and deflected the spells by merely floating around and turning intangible. "Heh. I don't think that's something for you to decide. After all, I already got away with it, didn't I?"

"Return her to normal!"

"You're in no position to make rude demands like that, you know." She yawned and made his other spells disappear. She stepped on the ground and held her head high while pacing around in her slender, adolescent form. "Hmph. This is getting boring, prince. Why don't you show some kindness to a lady and make it more interesting?!"

Modest screamed when she grabbed his face in her hoof. "Let me go!" He gasped and narrowed his eyes when her horn began to glow. "Stop it. Let...!"

"I know! How about _you_ lose your mind for a spell and be good for little Miseria? I shouldn't be gone for long. I'll just take care of the exciting, troublesome things here in _my_ kingdom!"

Modest glanced down at his armor, which was glowing. When he looked up, he saw Miseria as she and her magic were pushed away from him by the force of the shield. "Heh. Try that one for size, darling."

She glared at him and growled a little. The marks on the side of her face glowed a bit while she stared at Modest, but she quickly composed herself. "Stupid little prince..."

Modest got on guard again and watched the beautiful, frightening mare creature pace away from him. "..."

"Fine. You get this one point. Yay, good for you." She rolled her eyes and tapped her hoof on the ground. She smirked and glanced over her shoulder while everything around Modest turned upside-down, except Modest himself. "Ohh, look at that..."

Modest unfolded his wings and flew up a little, trying to make sense of the sudden disorienting location. "What-" He moved away from the buildings that kept growing taller and wobbled to drop ponies from the rooftops and windows. "No!"

A sizzle that came from the ground made him look up and see that the dirt roads had turned to hot fudge and were dripping in all directions. "Stop it! They're going to-"

Miseria licked her lips and gave Modest a sly, sideways glance. "Mmm. I wonder what upside-down, battered chocolate-covered ponies taste like. Maybe you'll get a chance to find out. After all..." She looked around at the ponies that fell both up and down.

"Leave them out of this. You've done enough with the city, haven't you?! Miseria, those ponies can't protect themselves! Leave them be!"

"But I just had the perfect idea for a recipe! Dear, you can't expect me to just give up on it. Never tried an upside-down of any flavor? Or dough? Now's your chance to give it a try. I was thinking that among all things, Queen Miseria will start a Mad Bakery shop. Main ingredient... These little ponies!"

She looked up as Modest quickly snatched a filly from a crumbling building. "So heroic." Her zapping tail wrapped around Luna's statue as she began to disappear from view.

"No! Stop!" Modest shot a spell in Miseria's direction, but grunted when it missed and only hit air. "Just when everypony thought things couldn't get any worse..." He glanced around and sighed while his ears pulled back. "It's about get even more horrible."

* * *

Celestia awakened slowly to the sound of a strange, beautiful voice singing an enchanting melody. She groaned and opened her eyes, focusing a bit to push herself in a sitting position.

"My head still... spins..." She shook it just slightly and looked around the room, speaking in a weak voice. "Ngh, who's... Who's there...?"

Miseria chuckled and watched Celestia from a corner of the ceiling. She touched her throat with her hoof and continued singing while the Princess tried to locate the source of the voice.

Celestia closed her eyes and listened to the melody carefully. She recognized its power after a few seconds. "An auditory hypnotic spell... Very difficult to break by normal means..."

Her horn emitted a slight glow. She opened her eyes slowly as the disruptive light spell rippled and flowed around the room. She held her throbbing head and nearly collapsed on her side from the strain.

_Just that minor spell was enough to..._ She looked at her swaying, sickly self in the mirror, and sighed at the paling color of her coat and mane that she saw reflected in the glass.

Miseria gasped when the flowing light washed over her. She coughed and gagged, holding her throat. "Hey, you! That was rude! Very-rude! Yuck! Agh, what was that?!"

She appeared in front of Celestia and gave her an annoyed glare.

Celestia gave the floating filly creature a weary glance. "Hello again."

"Not only are you such a pretty, pampered, perfect little faker, you're majorly rude, too!"

"You're... You're that creature from earlier..." Celestia winced and coughed a bit.

Miseria folded her legs and turned her face slightly upwards. "Hmph. I see." She smirked and floated a bit lower. "You're not as dumb as I thought, princess. Okay, I'm the _creature_, who by the way, is named Miseria. What of it? It's not like the sick, pretty filly can do anything to me!"

Celestia sighed and looked down at her bed. Her legs were folded underneath her, and though she breathed shallow and quickly, she remained calm. "You may do what you wish with me... But please, do leave my subjects alone. That is all I ask of you... An easy request, don't you think?"

Miseria rolled her eyes and put her hooves at her sides. "Just because _you_ ask me to? What makes you think I'd obey you?" She giggled and floated around Celestia. "That must be your lame attempt at a joke.

"Leave them alone and free of your magic. This isn't fair for them."

Miseria blinked and raised an eyebrow. "Not fair? Perhaps we haven't met. Oh, yeah, we haven't." She shrugged and rolled her eyes. "Not personally, anyway..."

Celestia glanced aside when she saw the tangelo light that appeared near her shoulder. "Hm..."

"I'm Miseria, the spirit of Madness, and Destruction..." She smirked and nudged Celestia before floating away. "None of which play 'fair', if I'm not mistaken by the definition. I should probably also mention that I was created to not only surpass Discord and his powers, but to end him, shall he result a consecutive failure to the Dark One. And so far, to be honest?"

She appeared in the center of the room again, looking down at Celestia, making dramatic gestures. "He's a disgrace! Ugh, to think I once called him 'brother'! What a shame it is!"

"You're going to destroy Discord?" Celestia frowned a bit and followed Miseria with a serious expression on her face. "You can't do that. Who do you think he is? You of all should know it just cannot be done."

Miseria scoffed mockingly while Celestia groaned and tried to keep her balance. "It'll be hard, I admit, but not impossible. I've always liked a challenging game. Besides, I'm stronger than him now. As a matter of fact, I've always been stronger! Not to mention that the best strategy to beat someone like him is to wear him down, little Celestia. One major blow at a time."

She appeared behind Celestia and patted her head, then wrapped her in a hand made of her magic energy.

Celestia winced and grimaced, meeting Miseria's mocking glare with wary eyes while she was hurt with no consideration from the smaller creature. "I-if you think this-"

"I'll just press him harder and harder, until he has no more reasons or motives to put up a fight. After all... Well, not even _my_ magic can call back the dead. Oh, much less his." She giggled while Celestia's face grew even paler and more horrified. "Ooh. The bit dropped now?"

"I won't let you use me... against..."

Miseria shoved her against the bed. "Ah-ah, I'm afraid that's for me to decide, and for you to deal with." Her eyes quickly changed colors while she resumed her song.

Celestia tried to break eye contact, but was held down tightly, her eyes fixed on Miseria's as the song floated in the air. She groaned and grimaced at the visions that Miseria slipped into her mind.

She watched Luna as she was turned to stone, then found the struggling Mane Six trapped in a painful labyrinth. She also witnessed the fall of Equestria, and the capture and enslavement of Discord.

"No!" Her eyes filled with tears while she tried to back away. "N-no! This isn't... It can't...!" She whimpered and tried to move her head.

Miseria snickered and floated closer. _Wow, that was much easier than I thought. Your sick day sure helped!_ She nudged Celestia as the combined hypnosis took full effect.

"D-don't... Not them... Not to them, stop it! Take me if you must. Take me...!"

Miseria nearly burst with laughter as she watched the trembling, begging princess. "Ohh, my goodness, this is too good. The mighty Sun Princess of Equestria, _begging_ me! Not even you got this far, brother. What do you say to that?" She smirked when Celestia almost fell out of the bed. "You see it, don't you?"

She stepped on the ground and walked beside Celestia. She looked in front of them at the visions that now played before them. "This is all that I plan to do. This is what is going on this very instant! Isn't it lovely?"

She looked at Celestia and smiled as the princess pushed herself up from the bed and swayed. "It's almost here... My beautiful dream and games... What do you plan to do about it, princess?"

Celestia groaned and stumbled forward to follow Miseria. "I... I will... save..."

"Ooh. You've got guts, even under my spell. Fine, then, come and try to fight me. I'm more than ready for you." She and Celestia disappeared in a flash of blinding light.

* * *

Twilight could feel her legs shaking a bit from the continuous effort and strain. She panted and held her head after another failed attempt to bring down the barrier around the Everfree Forest. "Ohhh... It's useless."

Miseria laughed and looked at them while sitting on top of the barrier. She glanced aside and smiled with delight when she saw Discord catch up with the Mane Six. "Ah! Brother! Good to see you. I was about to give the little fillies a riddle. Perhaps _you'll_ find it more interesting."

Discord shook his head while Miseria smiled and tapped her hooves together. "Oh, why trouble them? This game is between you and me. I'll have you know that I still have some moves that will surprise you."

Miseria chuckled and floated away from Discord when he teleported in front of her. "It's not just you. This game includes them six, too. I'll show you it does." She smirked at the Mane Six while floating over a cliff. Then she closed her eyes and started to vocalize a song similar to the one she sang to Modest.

The five ponies tried to resist the singing, but were soon caught in the spell. They moved towards Miseria to get closer to the source of the voice. Their minds had quickly slipped away, just as Modest's had.

Twilight looked at her friends and gritted her teeth while trying to concentrate. "Wait! You guys! This... This is another... spell! We have to stick together to break it!" She fought hard against the spell, even digging her hooves into the ground to put some more resistance.

Discord looked around at the mesmerized mares that followed Miseria's voice, mumbling every so often. "You heard Twilight, now. Get a grip and pull yourselves together! It's just some singing!"

He glared at Miseria as she smiled and looked at the ponies. He noticed that she had quickly focused on Twilight, who had even tried to cast a spell. "Great..."

_"Twi~light..."_

"H-huh...?" Twilight muttered in surprise as the melodious voice chanted her name. She already was having trouble to resist it, but this new approach was... Wait. Keep it together! I have to help... others! Have to...

_"Come here, Twilight Sparkle..."_

Have to... other... What...? Twilight's thoughts quickly blurred out of her reach while she muttered to herself. "That... voice... It's..." She smiled a little and walked forward to follow the others.

Discord grimaced when he looked at her. "Twilight? Oh, Twilight, not you too! Snap out of it!" He appeared in front of her and watched her walk around him to continue her path. "You can't hear me?"

"So... beautiful... Voice..." Twilight's eyes closed just a bit as she took a few steps closer to the edge of the cliff. "...Follow..."

"Don't tell me you've lost your head too!" Discord groaned with frustration while the Mane Six continued to walk away from him. He glared at Miseria, then gasped as the six ponies approached their end.

"Almost there... Keep coming..." Miseria smiled as her song echoed around them. "Fall for me!"

Discord narrowed his eyes and raised his claw, just as Fluttershy nearly stepped off. _I know we've been made to cheat, but this is a new low, Miseria. Even for us!_

He snapped his fingers and caught the falling ponies in a pool of chocolate milk. Once the pool landed on the ground away from the cliff, he raised an eyebrow and looked at Miseria. "Come now, dear. Surely you can do better than this."

Miseria watched the Mane Six as they fell into the pool and awakened from her spell. "Heh, heh... Of course I can, Discord. Just who do you think I am?" She smiled as the mark on her face glowed again.

Twilight groaned and held her head. She looked at the chocolate pool, then frowned and looked at the mismatched alicorn mare that stood on the edge of the cliff, before them. "What happened...?"

Applejack shook herself and glared at Miseria. "That no-good trickster. She just used some of her spells again! Ain't gonna get away with that..."

"Whoa, chocolate milk pool!" Pinkie Pie smiled and dove into the pool while the others walked out and shook the milk off themselves, giving both Discord and Miseria confused looks.

Miseria smiled and lifted one hoof gently while she stood before them with a calm expression. "Enough with the little warm-up. Here's the riddle now..."

She appeared close to the other seven and paced around them. "Come seek us through the truth and pain, we'll see afterwards what shall remain. While you're searching, ponder this-I've taken that which you will dearly miss."

She flew over the air, out of reach when the others gave her a look. "Three suns and moons of mine you'll have to look to recover and save all that I took. But past the time, the future's dark, you see..."

She poked Discord's nose with her hoof and grinned. "I will become everything _you_ could never be." She laughed and flew away from the group.

Discord glared at her for a few seconds while thinking about her riddle. He then gasped and snarled. "You..."

Miseria smiled with satisfaction while she watched him growl. "Throwing a tantrum won't help you now, you know." She floated in the air and waved her hoof at them. "I'll be waiting for you to get some guts and play my little game. See you later~"

They looked away as she vanished in a flash of bright light.

Twilight paced around, thoroughly worried, while the others stared at her and had arguments of their own.

She looked at her friends and sighed while approaching them. ""We have to confront and stop her. We won't do much if we stay here in-where's Rainbow Dash?" She raised an eyebrow when she spotted Discord, who was still glaring down at the ground, deep in thought.

Rarity turned to look at Twilight. "She went to the palace to check on everypony, right after, um... Miseria, left. She didn't like the sound of the riddle, darling. Well, none of us did."

"Ah just hope she gets back soon. There's nothin' she can do back at the palace, even if ponies did get hurt. Twilight's right, we have to go after that trickster right away." Applejack shook her head and backed away from the dry land that Miseria's magic had destroyed.

Fluttershy looked up as Rainbow Dash approached. "Oh, Rainbow Dash, you're back. How are things at the palace? I'd imagine the city is doing badly still..."

"Of course it is. It's doing even worse. I've got bad news, guys. Princess Celestia's missing. So is Princess Luna! Couldn't find them anywhere, and the Royal Guard is almost beaten to a pulp. And Prince Modest-"

"I'm here..." An exhausted Modest dragged himself towards them. "Rainbow Dash is right... P-Princess Luna... She was taken by her... I-I couldn't..." He grunted and collapsed on the ground again.

"And you let her take Celestia, too!" Discord glared at Modest while he tried to push himself up.

"Wh-what? Princess Celestia-"

"For a brave prince, you sure are useless." Discord blinked and looked aside. "No, wait a minute. _I_ let her take Celestia. I was supposed to watch over her. I was supposed to help everypony defeat Miseria."

Applejack looked up at him. "Now, now, sugarcube. Tossing the blame around never did help anypony."

Twilight walked towards Modest after Rarity and Pinkie Pie helped him stand. "It's alright, Prince Modest. Don't push yourself too hard, you should rest. There's still plenty to be done here in Canterlot." She looked around and frowned worriedly. "All over Equestria, in fact. I'm sure the princesses will manage to be okay."

Discord sighed. "Yes, they wouldn't have survived for so long just to be defeated by such a simple little brat. Besides, I can assure you, she doesn't want them dead yet. She'll want to toy with them and use them to lure us into her games."

"Well, we won't let her enjoy herself at our expense! If that's what she wants, then she's not getting any of our attention!" Rainbow Dash looked at the others and flew up in the air again.

"Rainbow, darling, please be reasonable. We don't have a choice. She's got the princesses, we have to make sure they're okay. Not to mention that we have to confront Miseria sooner or later to stop her rampage through Equestria. Whether we want to or not, we'll have to go to her."

Fluttershy looked at Discord. "But... The doctors said Princess Celestia was too weak to move..."

"Well, obviously Miseria had something to do with that, didn't she?"

Twilight put her hoof on her chin as she thought. She then gasped when realization hit her. "No... 'I've taken that which you will dearly miss'! The princesses are who she was threatening in her riddle."

Rarity opened her eyes wider and shifted in her hooves. "But Princess Celestia can't be out for too long. She'll...! Oh, dear goodness!"

Twilight looked at the others. "If we don't hurry and find her as soon as possible..."

They all looked up as the sun suddenly rose upon the sky.

Twilight's eyes moved quickly from side to side as she continued to recite and decipher Miseria's riddle. "Then... 'Three suns and moons of mine you'll have to look... But past the time, the future's dark'..."

Discord's eyes opened wider with shock and horrified realization. "She can't..." He snarled again and glared forward, at the forest. _Miseria... You... I swear, if you ever hurt any of them..._ His body shook from all the conflicting feelings that surged within him. Some of them he recognized as fear, concern, and rage.

The ground cracked as he was about to succumb to his feelings. "Miseria..."

Applejack saw him and promptly interrupted his thoughts. She jumped in front of everyone and motioned towards the forest. "We ain't got time to waste here now. This alicorn thing's darn serious business. Saddle up, ev'rypony! We got a kingdom to save!" She stood on her hind legs before breaking into a run.

Everyone nodded to each other and followed after, towards the Everfree Forest again. They stopped in their tracks when the harmful barrier became visible, threatening to torture and push away anyone that dared take one step closer to it.

Fluttershy shivered. "Ohh, we, we'll never be able to get through that... After all these tries, nothing has happened... We didn't get anywhere!"

Discord smirked and looked at the barrier. "That's because you didn't have me back then. Sure, it's a tad strong..." He snapped the fingers of his claw and watched the barrier shatter and fall to pieces on the ground. "But nothing a good amount of chaos can't handle. Now, then, let's get going."

Twilight surrounded Pinkie Pie with her magic aura and pulled her away before slithering vines with thorns wrapped around her. "We have to be careful. Discord, what happened to the forest? It's not the same."

"Er... Let's just say it went through some chaotic... destructive renovations recently."

Rainbow Dash flew around a couple of thorny bushes. "Okay... Like we won't have enough to deal with ahead. Can't you change this, Discord?"

"Oh, absolutely, but I would rather focus on getting to Miseria on time. Move, ladies. I don't want to have to look after a group of whining fillies."

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. "Watch who you call a whining filly!" She huffed a bit and flew forward, just as the others moved on as well, with a couple of winces and complaints (mainly from Rarity).

Twilight looked up. "Can you feel them?"

Discord gritted his teeth as a few more plants blocked their way. "They're getting further away from us. We have to pick up the pace, but at this rate..."

"I told you to change it!"

Rarity looked up at the rocks that fell in front of them. "Allow me..." Her horn glowed as she stepped forward, making the rocks glow as well. "These actually aren't that strong. We can smash right through them. Silly traps. Applejack, would you be a dear?"

"My pleasure." Applejack smiled at them and walked to the rocks. She bucked them with her hind legs and watched them crumble to reveal a somewhat clearer path. "Alright. Let's get going. Ah reckon this should be much easier to follow from now on."

With that, the group charged ahead through the forest, aided by Discord's magic and their own talents.

* * *

Phew! Actually, making this chapter happen didn't take so long! I'm glad... Now I can focus a bit more on translating another page for this DW comic... But never mind that. It's fanfiction time right now. I'm so glad I was able to post this for you guys~

I love how Miseria came out here, if only for short periods of time. So... Miseria. Again, I'm sorry if her whole age shifting keeps confusing and throwing you off. That's why you gotta pay attention and imagine what she'd say in her 'child' and 'adolescent' form. I really wish I could draw her for you guys... She's beautiful. And right now, seductive and scary evil, with those marks on the side of her face. Dark marks on the side of one's face or body always mean evil, remember that!

I liked everyone's performance in this chapter, and believe that even the minor characters had their time to shine. I don't know why, but these things always happen when I touch up on them: when it's time to create chaos magic, my mind blanks out and ends up creating random, but unoriginal ideas that don't make any sense. And, for some reason I always try to feature _all_ of the Mane Six in one appearance, and seem to fail terribly at that, because they end up having one-liners or... being too stiff, if you know what I mean. Repetitive, maybe, I think I'm stretching their canon traits way, way too much (good thing you won't get to read the way I displayed Derpy during the future chapters. Horrible, truly. Good thing I'll have it edited by then).

You can see things and tense stuff between Miseria and the others getting more serious, right? Great! Thank you for your patience, and I really hope that you enjoy this chapter and the next to come.


	20. Ready, Set, Go

**Ready, Set, Go**

Discord and the Mane Six continued to walk through the Everfree Forest, despite the increasing obstacles and dangers. They prepared themselves to confront Miseria and recover the princesses before it was too late for all of them. Unfortunately, their fierce determination did little to decrease the difficulty of the interfering forest that held them back with all its might.

Applejack grunted and pulled her tail free from long, thorny branches. "We better get a move on, y'all. Ah'm getting a funny feeling 'bout this one part here, and it's not because of Pinkie's antics."

Pinkie Pie looked around while she walked forward, past Discord. "I'd do what I taught you and laugh at these mean things, but..." She gasped and jumped back when a seemingly harmless flowed hissed and snapped at her. "Yikes! They really don't look like things to be laughed at!"

"Pinkie Pie, do get away from those things, you'll get hurt!" Rarity waved her hoof over and tried to push the flower back with a few rocks. "There, much better. Applejack is right. We do have to keep moving. There's no trace of either of them here, so no point wasting our time."

Fluttershy shivered and stepped closer to the group. "I-it's so big and... s-spooky, though... Oh, goodness, how are we ever going to get past all of this? She could be hiding anywhere... What if she traps us, and we can't come out? What if she-" She squeaked and scooted away from the bushes that moved behind her.

Twilight gasped and pushed her friends back. "She found us! She found us-get ready to attack!"

While the others stood on guard, Fluttershy peeked into the bushes and then walked forward.

Twilight scowled at her yellow pegasus friend. "Fluttershy! What are you doing, get back here!"

Rainbow Dash flew away from the group, a bit closer to Fluttershy. "Weren't you scared hoofless a second ago?! C'mon! Before she gets you-"

Discord shook his head. "Oh, stop overreacting, will you? We'll never get to them on time at this rate."

Fluttershy looked at her friends. "Oh, I was scared. I still am. But... Here's a little fellow who seems as scared as me, maybe even more." She raised her hoof to reveal a small mouse that laid on it.

Rainbow Dash facehoofed. "Of course you had to do that."

"Look at this cutie." Fluttershy nuzzled the mouse and then smiled at it. "It's okay, little one. You're safe now. See? We're all friends, we're not going to hurt you. We'll be out of this forest in no time."

Rarity looked around as the sounds of various animals were heard. "We may not hurt it, but I'm sure that plenty of other things certainly will come to hurt us..."

"Let's keep going, then!" Rainbow Dash held herself in mid-air in front of the group. "We don't have much time, which way do we go?"

Discord looked aside and pointed at a group of trees. "Through that way. I can sense her now. She's actually watching us, quite entertained."

Twilight looked around in alarm, as did the others. "She is?!"

_"It's quite a bit entertaining, watching you blabber pointlessly. Do you all do that a lot?"_

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and glared at the sides. "Show yourself, coward!" She flew around, trying to locate Miseria. "What, you plan to hide from us the whole time or something?!"

Miseria's laughter rang around them before her echoing voice spoke again.

_"Far from it, actually. You have a pretty big, brash mouth, Loyalty thing. Let's hope it can pull you through the game. It would, if only your skills were as great as your ego."_

Rainbow was about to respond to the taunt, but Applejack and Twilight held her back.

Applejack pulled her back again. "Rainbow-"

"Let me go! I'm gonna show her whose-"

"Easy now, sugarcube. No point gettin' all fussed over a silly voice, now. Just ignore it, we gotta focus."

Suddenly, the Everfree Forest trembled violently from an earthquake. It changed its form to that of a massive labyrinth with thorns, spikes, and shadows that slithered all around. Screeches, laughs, whisper, and other terrifying sounds echoed ominously through the many passages.

Rarity gasped and flinched. "Oh, no. Don't tell me we'll have to go through that _again_! Not this enchanted labyrinth nonsense!" She looked around at the ominous surroundings with distress.

Pinkie Pie hopped over to the entrance. "We don't get much of a choice, guys. C'mon, there's no time!"

Miseria hovered in front of them and made them stop in their tracks. "Now, now, don't get excited too soon, all at due time!" She tapped her hoof in the air and blocked the entrance behind the group.

Twilight glared at her. "You better tell us where the princesses right now! We have no time for any games! Princess Celestia is very sick, and you are plunging Equestria into some serious destruction!"

Miseria giggled. "I know! Isn't it lovely? And it's just a little touch, wait till I'm done with everything else. So, are we going to play, hm?" She gave her hoof an uninterested glance.

"I told you we don't-"

"Good! I was getting bored already." Miseria turned around in the air and smirked while her tail threw out sparks again. "You all must be pretty dumb, brash, or maybe even courageous, you know! It's not all that often that ponies make it out of my games on their own..."

Discord stood beside the Mane Six and gave Miseria another serious look. "But that's the thing, Miseria. They are not alone. Surely you're smart enough to see at least that.

She blinked and stared at all of the group again. "So, Discord, you're actually-" She broke into laughter that made Discord frown in annoyance, though she remained indifferent of that. "You're going with them? You're going to team up with them?! Oh, how low have you fallen!"

Discord kept his serious stare fixed on Miseria while she laughed to her heart's content. "I'm not in the mood for jokes, Miseria. So go ahead and get it over with."

Miseria appeared right in front of Discord, making him back away while she floated a few inches forward to confront him. "Fine then, Discord. Have it your way! Go in the labyrinth as well and play with your new friends the ponies! This is rich, I swear. I haven't had this much fun in forever!"

Before anyone could say anything else to argue, she tapped her hoof in the air and separated the group to scatter them around the maze. Though they occasionally called out to each other, it was difficult for them to even hear any replies through the thick hedges and fog.

_"You all remember this place well, don't you? Or at least the idea of it. You'll find a few changes of my own, though, because it's all about innovation nowadays. It's a lot more fun like this! You'll see."_

Miseria's beautiful, young voice giggled while dark creatures zoomed past the mares to scare them and block their path with broken, destroyed creations of hers.

Twilight swallowed a bit while she stepped away from a bouncing toy clown. "Miseria, give it up! Delaying us with your creepy magic won't do anything. You know we'll win in the end!

_"Will you be quiet? I'm about to explain the basic rules of the game! Okay, you better be ready! In this version it really doesn't matter whether or not you have your wings and horns. I don't feel like taking them, but you still can't use them~! But do go on, heh, heh. Don't believe me. Give it a try yourself, ladies, and feel the pain of a lifetime."_

~~~

Everyone nervously glanced around their surroundings once again, trying to spot any possible trace of a harmful spell. As suspected, there was nothing to be found, for Miseria's pain spell was cast over every single piece and part of the labyrinth.

_"If you all don't get to the end of the labyrinth before I pay you a visit, I'll spirit your Elements away and keep them to myself. If you don't finish in time, I'll still keep them to myself. Good luck playing, girlfriends! And good luck preventing their fall this time, Discord."_

Twilight narrowed her eyes with determination as she started to walk down the curved path. She looked around and quickly deflected attacking toys with her magic. "There you go. Can you guys hear me?"

She turned around when she heard her friends' voices. They were faint, but she was certain it was them. She ran forward to try to hear them better. "Can you hear me?! Girls, we can't let something like this beat us. Remember, we've already faced all of it before!"

Rarity was careful to avoid the thorns that spread out through almost all of the dirt path. "But, Twilight, it's never been like this! Wh-where are you?! Twilight, I can't hear you anymore! Where are the others?!"

~~~

Rainbow Dash stepped away from the hedges that blocked her way, once she saw them glow menacingly. She kept her wings closed and took cautious steps. "She wasn't lying. I'm not going to find out myself, but I'll bet my rainbow mane that she did enchant this place, and all of it."

She continued to walk, then grimaced when she saw some transformed animals that tried to leave the enchanted grounds. "Nngh... If... If we push it too hard, our wings and horns will end up broken, you guys. I'm pretty sure about it, there's already proof of it." She winced again when she heard Twilight's screams from far away. "And, there's some more. Twilight, where are you?! Are you okay?!"

Twilight groaned and pushed herself up. She looked as though she had been electrocuted, and the light around her horn quickly faded. "She really thought this through very well, didn't she... Clever, mean, evil..."

~~~

Discord sighed and looked around while he walked. "A labyrinth to separate us... Oh, Miseria, show me something I don't know. You call this innovation?"

He stopped when Fluttershy's screams and the laughter of lurking shadow creatures was heard all around them. Then he sighed just a bit when he heard the others call out for the yellow pegasus. "Okay, okay, Fluttershy! I know you can hear me, right?!"

"Y-yes, Discord. Oh, where are you?! Th-there was this thing right-"

He smiled and turned around once he located the direction of her voice. "Please be calm! Freaking out won't help at all, it's just what Miseria wants!"

"B-but Discord, there's so many scary things here, and they-they're all coming! Please help me-"

"Be careful and don't linger in one place too long. As soon as they get closer, run as fast as you can!"

Twilight nodded and spoke with her best encouraging voice. "You heard him. Don't let her tricks get to you. We can do this, like we got through it before!" Despite her encouragement and the determined smile on her face, she had to fight her own shivers, caused by the creepy aura of her own path.

~~~

Pinkie made herself smile as she too walked through the road path. "W-we just have to find the funny side of this, girls! Like-remember in the trees at the Everfree Forest? That was so much fun! Yeah, that's right! We can do something like that." She tried to keep her smile strong and sincere despite the high-pitched laughter that she heard around her.

~~~

Applejack stomped her hooves on the ground. She looked around and filled her voice with determination and firmness. "Y'all need to get yourselves together! Twilight's right, we've done this before and we'll do it now. Scarier or not, this maze ain't nothin' we can't handle. Let's get going, girls. We can do it, y'all!"

She straightened up her hat before she took off into the foggy darkness. _Y'all ain't gonna put Equestria in danger for your bad, twisted joy, Miseria. Not while we're around to put a stop to you!_

~~~

Rainbow Dash smirked and started to run as well. "She's not gonna get away with this. We'll show her what's coming to her, and we'll show her together, even if she keeps us apart! It just won't work this time!"

She narrowed her eyes and looked at the sides, carefully dodging vines and broken toys. _Good luck getting the Elements from us. You're gonna need more than that!_

~~~

Discord rolled his eyes and looked up while he heard the ponies head off to different parts of the labyrinth. "My, you all sure talk a lot... But you've got plenty of courage as usual, I'll give you that..." He stopped before a few shadows that tried to block his way. With a bored snap of his fingers, he vanished them and cleared the path in front of him.

~~~

Twilight sighed and cautiously made her way through what seemed like a tunnel of hedges. She was careful not to touch the plants. Though she couldn't use her horn, she found that the roots and branches were easy to keep away with her own hooves.

The more she walked, the more distant the voices of her friends became, and she had to admit that it frightened her more than a slight bit.

"This is the right thing to do... It's for everypony. For Equestria... for the princesses. We won't let you down..." She grimaced a bit as she left the tunnel and was nearly blinded by sudden bright light that led down another curve. "She couldn't just make it fine and even, could she...?"

Before she knew it, she found herself grunting as she fell on the bottom of a steep hill, which she had to climb up with much difficulty. _Hope everypony else is doing okay..._

She cried out when she slipped down a bit, and did all she could to hold on to a small stone for dear life. "I'm not going down here. You'll need... more than that!" She panted and kept climbing, then slid down the slope when it turned upside-down.

_Take your courage, everypony... We're going to save the princesses and our home, just like we have before._ She grunted when she fell on the end of the slope, back on the dirt ground.

"Owww... I really hope we can give her what she deserves soon and quickly..." She stood up and continued her walk. _We'll keep moving, friends, and meet at the end. No other way but forward now._

~~~

Miseria smirked and chuckled as she watched them wander. She could see everything on top of the labyrinth, even through the fog. "This is going to be just lovely..."

She glanced aside to see Discord while he levitated around the twisting path. Her eyebrow raised when she confirmed that the spell was ineffective on him, and he could both fly and use his magic like usual. _Well, it's to expect. He is Discord, after all. But that doesn't mean he's got victory assured..._

She stretched and laid back in the air, looking at her hooves with a small smile. Her back legs were closed together, her talons gleaming in the moonlight of her fake night.

Her tail buzzed a bit with its bright blue energy, just as the mark of her face glowed slightly and spread just a bit further on her grinning face.

She laid in the air in an elegant, beautiful, yet relaxed position. "Will you take Luna's role this time, brother? I'd like to see you run around hopelessly... I've always wanted to see that."

Her horn glowed, and purple cotton candy clouds appeared around her while she looked away from below. She licked her lips and gave one of the clouds a small bite. "Let the games begin, brother..."

With the press of a button on her controller, she began to see each of the group in a closer focus, watching them all struggle with the obstacles. "Ready..."

Applejack barely managed to jump over a crack on the ground, pulling himself up on the other side.

Rainbow Dash dodged falling boulders made of plastic, running around grass snakes that popped out of the hedges. She also snatched her wing away from one of them so it wouldn't get tangled.

~~~

"Set..."

Rarity looked around at three shadow creatures that floated around her and tried to corner her. With a scream, she turned and ran as fast as she could to leave the creatures behind.

Pinkie Pie shook herself dry after being splashed by icy water that nearly froze her in place. When the ground before her froze, she sighed and started to skate over it, careful to stay clear from the thin ice.

~~~

"...Go." Miseria chuckled when she saw Twilight pull herself out of a swamp, and Fluttershy creep carefully around broken toys and plants.

She turned around to see Discord turning in all directions, keeping his progress steady, but alert. He cancelled her magic spells well, but soon found that more came to ambush him if he dropped his guard the slightest bit.

She pulled her head back and laughed at the struggles of the group, and the frustration that threatened to overcome them. "Time's running, my friends... Everyone here is as good as mine... You will be excellent slaves for my kingdom, I can't wait to see that!"

Her vision focused on Discord once again, and she smirked while her eyes glinted a mixed color of yellow and red. "I can't wait..."

* * *

I apologize for taking so long to post this freaking chapter. To make matters worse, I don't even think it was all that good. Personally, I don't think it was worth the wait, but you guys always make me feel so much better about everything I post. Thank you for that and your patience.

Things have been crazy in here... Got a lot to put up with. A lot standing on the line. I don't even want to think about it. But it helps me to know there are people genuinely loving this story and the characters I'm introducing. I'm glad you like the way I'm doing with the characters.

Miseria's game finally gets serious and starts. Spooky. Like usual, I had no idea where I was going with the whole out-of-control destructive chaos. Or chaos altogether. It's trickier to come up with chaos stuff than it seems. But I'm sure you can imagine the spooky labyrinth. I trust you've seen enough creepy/horror/scary movies to see that in your minds.

MLP finally taking on a tetric, serious side, huh? My favorite part was Miseria's riddle. Don't know if it seems familiar to anyone. Oh, wait, that was in the last chapter. Well, I liked Fluttershy. And Miseria, of course. I feel like the Mane Six talked way too much... But people suggested I should have them speak more and, well, with different lines, so I gave it a try.

But I think they became blabbermouths, considering the serious situation they're in. Anyway. Enjoy.


	21. Revelations in the Labyrinth I

**Revelations in the Labyrinth- Seeds of Dishonesty**

Applejack walked through the irregular, dark maze with full determination. She tried her best to ignore the sounds and shadows that crept all around her. Whenever they almost got the best of her, she took a deep breath and reminded herself of their goal and mission.

She looked around to make sure there was no danger lurking around the corners of the hedges. "At least there aren't any apples 'round here to trick me this time." She shook her head and continued her walk, a bit quickly as she ignored the taunting leaves around her.

Miseria's voice could be heard laughing again. She actually made Applejack jump with start and stand wary. _"You wanna know why there aren't any apple trees here, Applejack?"_

The Honesty pony looked around as Miseria continued to giggle. She did not trust her surroundings in the slightest, and only tried to get away as soon as possible. "Sour apple sauce. Ah really shouldn't have opened my mouth on that one…"

She scowled and tried in vain to make Miseria appear. "You dirty, no-good cheater! Y'all gotta come out right now and-" She trailed off after she noticed the bare crop fields before her, and the empty orchards.

They were all dry as could be, completely deserted and in ruins. Just the sight of them was heartbreaking. Not even the wind was heard among the desolated land.

"I…" Applejack lifted her hoof once she felt the dead dirt beneath her, which was not even earth anymore. "What… What is this...?"

Miseria appeared before her, making her take a few steps back into the dirt. She wore a farmer's outfit, with a hat similar to Applejack's. Her brown mane was tied in two braids that hung over her shoulders.

"Oh, c' should know what this place is, Applejack. Or... Never mind, perhaps you wouldn't. Not after all the changes it's gone through... I personally think it looks marvelous now! Nothing grows here anymore, and nothing ever will. It's become dead land and nothing more. Very nice, huh? Now it can be called _Sweet_ with all justice. Though I'm not sure about the 'Apples'. Or the Acres."

Applejack shook her head quickly, then gave Miseria a look. "What are you talking about? Can't y'all be clear for once when you speak? Don't know what's the fancy with speakin' in riddles!"

Miseria rolled her eyes and nearly facehooved. _I didn't think I'd have to be this direct… I mean, what's the fun in that?_ ""I'm talking about your home, Applejack. About Sweet Apple Acres. This is it. Or, well... This is where it _used_ to be. It's actually not that bad at all!"

"Wh-what?!" Applejack gasped and looked around at her former home again. "N-no! Th-this isn't it…!"

"It certainly is~ It all dried and withered away, but it definitely is-or was, your home. Not one apple seed in sight to plant here. This land is completely useless and out of profit now. Completely infertile. I personally think it has improved quite a bit, though. It has died away, and you know why?"

She punched a withered tree leaf and watched it crumble into dust on the ground. Then she looked up at Applejack and pointed an accusing hoof at her. "Because _you_ let it happen, Applejack. You abandoned your own home… Oh, I would have never imagined."

"Wait a minute. M-me?!"

"Oh, heh, heh. Yes. You, and your never-failing honesty. You see…" Miseria floated closer to her, hiding a smirk while she tried to seem concerned and grave. "You insisted to be honest with everypony but yourself."

She pointed forward to play scenes of events that were purposely played in an altered order before Applejack. "You allowed everypony else to lie around and to you, and act with full dishonesty. Look at your deeds. This is what caused your home to literally crumble away in the dirt…"

Applejack whimpered a bit when she saw Discord while he worked on the fields for the first time ever. She watched him move around around the farm, field after field. "What… But he… Discord worked so well back then, he did great… Couldn't have done better for his first try..."

She frowned and looked up at Miseria. "Ah worked right beside 'im the whole time! Ah watched him as we went around our business and our work, he was as honest as honest is in his lab-"

She was interrupted by Miseria's cold, sharp laughter, and had to look up at the slender, incomplete alicorn figure that suddenly stood before her with all the cruel, intimidating, and sinister wickedness of Nightmare Moon, or perhaps more than her. She no longer wore her farmer's outfit.

"Don't you know that it is _Discord_, whom you're talking about? C'mon, Honesty thing, don't be so daft! He's the spirit of Chaos and Dishonesty-he doesn't know what 'honest' is! He wouldn't, not in a million years; otherwise, he wouldn't exist, you see. Because Chaos is not honest. Chaos is crazy and tricking and wild!"

She stepped closer to Applejack as the orange earth pony backed away from her. "Yet you allowed him to help you right in your beloved home, dear… Because you believed in him and were true to him. _That_ was your biggest mistake!" She lowered her head towards Applejack and tapped her hoof in the air.

In the next vision, Discord appeared looking over his shoulder at a retreating Applejack. He chuckled and snapped his fingers to mess around with the fields using his magic. He had no regard whatsoever for the abuse of his power and its withering consequences of the delicate vegetation.

"D-Discord...? No! But, but he couldn't... He wouldn't...!" Applejack was completely shocked with the scene that played before her. Despite her best attempts to convince herself that it was just a lie, she couldn't help feeling dread and hurt as she watched Discord laugh behind her back, and cause further chaos and damage.

Miseria shook her head solemnly and patted Applejack's shoulder gently. ""Sweet Apple Acres could only take so much of his amazing, yet overwhelming magic. He betrayed you and in the end, you betrayed yourself. You betrayed all of the ponies that depended on the products of your honest effort."

She showed her the disappointed, sad ponies that walked around the deserted apple acres. They were hungry and desperate to find the products that were no longer within reach. Not only had apples declined once the Apple Family was out of business, but many other vegetables that were necessary for their diet had also decreased severely.

Applejack wandered in the streets of an unknown, cold city. She was lonely and filthy, trying to avoid anypony that might recognize her. She returned to a home made of thin boxes and an empty street, and did not come out as she heard other ponies walking by.

"You left yourself alone, with no home, no family, no friends... Nothing, Applejack." Miseria smirked when she saw Applejack's eyes fill with tears. "Now you understand what I mean… Right?"

"No... No...!" Applejack watched as the trees withered and rotted away, and the decayed apples fell from them. The ground cracked and thinned with absolute dryness. The barn grew old and fell apart once there was nopony left in the farm to look after it. The animals were all gone.

The Apple family were worse than out of business; they were fading away.

"What good was all your Honesty, Applejack? What good is that Element now, when you cannot save that which you hold dearest to your heart? Answer me! Where are all those 'friends' that you were so sincere to? Do you see them anywhere around here to help you now? Because I really do not. Not one of them."

Applejack looked at Miseria and tried to stammer an explanation, or a denial to defend her friends, and her home. "NO! No, this couldn't have happened! I-I just-I wanted… Twilight said… No, they'd never do that to me. Th-this can't be happening, stop it!"

"There is no way for me to stop something that is so real, Applejack. So painfully real…"

Applejack lowered her head and lamented her loss in quiet sobs and cries.

Miseria chuckled a bit and walked closer to her as she cried. She lifted her tail and shocked Applejack with it to cause further pain and sink her deeper into the agonizing illusion. "Such a happy view. Isn't it, Applejack? Ooh, I thought it was just lovely and fitting for you."

Her horn glowed, she surrounded Applejack's Element of Honesty with her magic and slipped it from her neck. She levitated it towards her and grinned when the necklace raised up to her mouth. "Okay…"

In a swift movement, she swallowed it and licked her lips once she was done. "Mmm… Tastes like apples." She snickered and vanished shortly afterwards, leaving Applejack behind and all alone.

* * *

Whoo! Another chapter done! Great, I was able to finish it the same day I started it! Oh, I'm so proud of myself… Though, it may have been easy to finish it faster because it was so short and simple (three pages, really)… Pretty much like Discord's assault on her during his labyrinth antics. Eh, I feel so unoriginal all of a sudden… Miseria! Why do you have to go and copy your brother because you still look up to him, despite how evil you may appear to be!

Miseria:... You mad? *Giggles*

Yes! Very much! I don't like unoriginality! No writer does!

Miseria: Whoever said you were a writer?

Now, that's just mean…

Miseria: Exactly. _That's_ what I'll be doing in the next couple of chapters.

Anyway. There you have it. Miseria's acting like a real jerk. I'm glad to say that she spent most of the time in here in her adolescent alicorn form. And when I picture that… I sort of picture (vaguely) Nightmare Rarity's form and elegance, but obviously with the shape of an alicorn. I mean, she is a teenager, but a classy one.

Poor, poor Applejack. That was just low. She's an expert at pressing major breaking points. 'Friends drifting apart', pfft, please! Why run around like that when you can strike harder-when you can strike family and legacy?


	22. Revelations in the Labyrinth II

**Revelations in the Labyrinth- Horrible Kindness**

Discord continued on his path, walking on all fours. He snapped his fingers to move the labyrinth walls from his way and searched intently for the other six.

"This place is bigger than it initially looked like, I'll have to give it to her..." He looked around in annoyance as the wailing of the strange creatures continued. "It could be less bothersome, though..."

He grunted a bit when dead branches tried to trap and tangle in his tail and hind legs. "Really…" He huffed a bit and snapped the branches away to keep walking. "Better get this over with quickly."

* * *

Fluttershy barely moved herself through the dark path, utterly afraid of the shadows and noises that came from within the hedges. "Ohh... I wish this w-would just be over already..." She sniffled a bit and made sure that the bunny that she had picked up was still with her.

"P-please, Fluttershy. Y-you need to be strong... F-for everypony! Think of happy things... Ha-happy thoughts, j-just like Pinkie Pie does! H-happy thoughts... Let's see, happy thoughts... G-getting your cutie mark... F-finding five excellent friends... R-representing the E-Elements of Harmony... A-all the things m-my friends and I have d-done together... Be-befriending Discord... A-and then-oh, I can't do this!"

She stopped after she gave a few steps, then ran to hide in a bush. She screamed and popped out of it when it wiggled and tried to trap her. "Please stop this, I beg of you, M-Mis-Mis-"

"You can't even say my name right, can you? You don't dare. You can't even walk through this simple little maze." Miseria yawned with boredom and looked down at the frightened pegasus while sitting on the air.

"Mis-Miseria! Oh, p-please, please just stop this, Miseria. I-It isn't-"

"Just because you're asking me to do it? Forget it. You're such a pushover, I'm sure just this one thing won't matter. Not like everypony hasn't pushed you around before." She smiled and continued to ignore Fluttershy while she stretched.

"Th-they don't push me around anymore. I-I'm kind to them, that's-"

"See, Scaredyshy, or whatever your name is-Kindness thing, that's your problem. There's 'kind'," Miseria used her hooves to quote the word. "And then there's just _doormat_. I'm sure you're familiar with that expression now, right? Well, newsflash! You're the doormat."

"B-But I-I'm not-"

Miseria smiled a little while she frowned worriedly and mocked Fluttershy's frightened stammering. "Oh, s-so yo-you're not a d-d-doormat, huh? Answer me this, then!" She flicked Fluttershy on the forehead."

"P-please just stop. I… I really don't want to fight or argue with you. I-I don't want anypony to get hurt. Really, if we could just talk about this, I truly don't wish to hurt anypony, Miseria."

"Oh, you don't! That's ironic and funny, coming from you. What makes you think you're that special, honey fly? As if you could ever hurt a twig if your life depended on it."

"W-well… I-"

"You're worthless! Hurricane Fluttershy, you couldn't even get a full three! Could you?!"

"I-I really don't see how that's relevant-"

"I do! It sums up everything you are, Fluttershy Can't-Fly! Worthless is what you've always been. Worthless! Worthless, worthless, worthless! Laced up, ribboned, polished, gift-wrapped bunch of pony feathers-"

"I-I'm not worthless!" Fluttershy gasped and cowered a bit. "If… If you could stop saying that, please… I-I'm not a pushover, either. So… It would be nice if you stopped calling me that, if that's okay…"

"Why haven't you properly demanded that I stop?!" She floated closer to Fluttershy and made her flinch. "Why don't you work up an attitude and act tough with me, huh, if you're so gutsy?! C'mon! I'm ready!"

Fluttershy lifted a hoof and tried to stammer something out, but she was once again roughly interrupted by Miseria, who continued to mock her.

"Go ahead! Give me your Stare. Ooh, I love stare-downs." She looked at her hoof with a bored expression. "I always lose, though. Big-Discord is so much better at them. That's why I always do sing-downs instead!" She tilted her head aside and looked down upon Fluttershy. "Not that you'd win at those, either. Your voice is so ugh! Gag, horribly sweet and tender-egh, it makes me sick, just imagining it!"

Fluttershy whimpered a bit and frowned as she watched Miseria and heard her nasty criticism.

"But anyway… Why don't you go ahead and try any of that to me? You could've done it a while ago, you know. Why don't you show me who's best and toughest and full of their own pony?" Miseria smirked and looked down at Fluttershy again while she watched her tremble. "You don't even dare… Do you?!"

Fluttershy yelped and trembled in fear as Miseria laughed and drilled her with more mockery and cruel teasing. "P-pl-please… Please just stop. I just want to-

Miseria waved her hoof dismissively. "Quiet, let's go back to our talk about 'kindness'." She appeared next to Fluttershy and put a hoof around the pegasus' shoulders while speaking with a concerned voice and expression. "I feel obliged to say this to you, Fluttershy, girl-to-girl. What you have been doing all this time is but the kindness that you feel so proud of."

Fluttershy looked at her with a confused, surprised expression. She was suddenly pinned and frozen by the disapprovement and severity of Miseria's voice. "But, what do you mean by-"

"Oh, it was horrible, Fluttershy. It's _still_ horrible! So bad, that it will never end. And the worst part is that you all brought it upon everypony!" Miseria nodded and floated in front of Fluttershy. "It's because of you that all of this is happening. Everything around you was consequence of your indifference."

Fluttershy gasped and covered her mouth with her hoof in shock. "My… My… M-me?! B-but that's not true. I-it's not my fault-it couldn't be! Why would I ever bring this on anypony?"

Miseria shrugged. "I don't know, 'Kindness'. You tell me. You sure have a twisted definition of the goodness you want to bring to the world…"

"But, I swear, I-I would never do anything like this, not even dream about it! Oh, this can't be anything _I_ could have thought, M-Miseria. It… It was your-"

"Oh, excuse me?!" Miseria looked baffled and offended as she pointed to herself. "Now you're going to say _I'm_ to blame? Not only are you cruel, but a hypocrite too! Leave the lying to your friend, Fluttershy. If I say you were responsible for all of this, then that's what you are, and I'll show you why. I have proof of your despicable actions right here."

She hopped down on the ground and made her horn glow while Fluttershy tried to back away. "After this, I assure you that the thought of kindness will never cross your mind again. You won't even want to look at anypony in the face! They'll all know it was your fault."

She pulled Fluttershy close to nuzzle her and blew on her hoof to appear another scene before them. "You are going to love this. I already do-and I haven't seen it yet!"

Fluttershy saw the memory of her talk with Discord in the Canterlot Palace rooftop, where she had first told her about Miseria. She and Miseria actually appeared inside the memory; their bodies were transparent and had a yellow glow, and they hovered at the side as Fluttershy and Discord talked.

Miseria chuckled quietly while she watched the glowing Fluttershy beside her, who became more and more confused as she saw herself talking with Discord.

"But… I don't get it. What does this have to do with anything? We didn't do anything wrong here-"

"Oh, ho ho, that's what you think." Miseria looked at the memory again.

Fluttershy had blinked, seeming a bit alarmed when she figured out that Miseria had caused the painful barrier. However, she said nothing to Discord and only spoke encouragingly about his new acquaintance.

"Ooh, there it is, right there. You suspected that I was behind it all...That this 'Miseria', namely me, was up to no good. After all, only the meanest of creatures could make something as harmful as that barrier! Yet you said nothing about your suspicions! Not even to Discord." She held her close again as they watched the memory together. "Such a cruel thing you are… It was because of you and your silence that things escalated…"

Fluttershy shook her head, looking at Miseria. "I-I didn't say anything because-"

_"But I'm afraid you can't tell anypony about this. It must stay between just you and me, as a secret between friends,"_ Discord had said to her, after he finished describing Miseria and their fun the other night.

_"...If it makes you feel good, Discord, I will keep the secret for you. ...I'll be glad to keep her between us."_

Fluttershy gasped. "No… I… I only wanted to…!"

"You couldn't set your hoof down, Fluttershy." Miseria leaned forward to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "You didn't see that it was going too far, your kindness, and refused to listen to caution. It's your fault I had the freedom and time to do all of this, and much more that I'm still planning to unfold upon you all."

She tapped her hoof again, and showed Fluttershy the ill Celestia, how Luna was turned to stone, how her friends wandered around the labyrinth, and how Discord struggled against the strengthened power of destruction and madness.

At the end of those quick, horrible scenes, Fluttershy was able to see a destroyed Canterlot-a ruined Equestria. It was deserted and absolutely… dead. It made her cry out in horror.

"You made all of this happen. It was you… and your smart decision to keep your mouth shut with your fake kindness! I bet nopony would ever forgive you… If there was anypony left to beg for forgiveness!"

"N-no…"

"Ooh, they must hate you from beyond the grave, mustn't they? I know I would."

"This isn't… This can't be real…"

"But you'll get enough punishment. You're left alone in a world that died up all because of you. You'll learn to suffer and beg to one day make up for all you caused."

Fluttershy gasped and stepped back when six familiar ponies rose from the ground and stumbled towards her. They glared with dull eyes and pointed resentful, accusing hooves at her. They even seemed like they were about to attack her.

She screamed and covered her head with her hooves, sobbing into the ground. "No! No-please don't say that! Please! I-it's not my fault-it can't be! Don't do this to me, we're friends! I… I never meant to hurt you, I didn't! I just wanted to… Help!"

Miseria's face sported a small, satisfied smile as she sealed the sobbing pegasus into the painful illusion, and lifted the Element of Kindness off her. She swallowed it, like she did with Applejack's necklace, and giggled. "Feels like little butterflies in my stomach."

She smirked at the broken-down mare again, then vanished.

* * *

...Who else thought of that forest scene in Walt Disney's _Snow White_ when reading this? You know, the one where Snow White rushes through a forest and, because of her fear, she keeps seeing all these creepy things everywhere, and hearing creepy sounds, until she breaks down in tears? Aww. Wasn't that something.

If anypony's being cruel here, it's Miseria. I know, I know-I'm the author, you don't need to tell me. I figured it out about... plenty of chapters ago. And I do look forward to when she gets it handed to her, everybody must pay consequences. I still can't help liking her, though. I am definitely loving her development, and, according to some tests and my humble opinion, she doesn't seem to be a Mary Sue! Congrats, Miseria.

Anyway... Um... This... turned more touchy feely and sad than I originally had it scripted out to be... Must be because I am going through touchy feely moments myself, in my house. Poor Fluttershy. I feel for her. I think this-and Rainbow Dash's (minor spoiler!) breaking illusions are going to be the most impacting ones. Maybe even Twilight's, too. But it's good that I started out with something average-sad like Applejack's. You had an idea of what different league of mind break was to come.

I'm sorry to do this to you, Discord, since I really like you a lot, but you just ended up in the minor leagues. Where did that little rabbit end up? Ehh... Don't know. Don't ask me. Continuity problem right there, I know. But I figure you guys are smart. It ran for the twisted, dark, broken hills as soon as it sensed the evil Miseria creeping around. I know most of us would. Here I am, trying to be sarcastic and funny with y'all because I'm bored... T_T

The quotes are from Chapter 6 of _Chaos Competition_; 'Friendly Business'. Thought it'd be cooler and more professional if I addressed the quotes. When I edit the earlier chapters, I'll do that, too.

My diet now constitutes of cereal in the morning, fruit/nut bars or cashews snack bars (which I am currently eating in the library) in the afternoon, and one serving of whatever Mom makes for dinner in the evening. Ehhh... TMI. Never mind that.


	23. Revelations in the Labyrinth III

**Revelations in the Labyrinth- Mocking Cruelty**

Pinkie Pie walked with uncertainty around her part of the labyrinth. She carefully looked at her surroundings, but tried not to panic. "It's alright. You can do this, Pinkie Pie! You've been in situations like this before, and you got right through them! I'm gonna do it. Have a laugh!" She seemed to have cheered herself up, for she smiled and walked a little faster, with a bit more confidence.

However, after a few minutes, she gasped and flinched when unknown voices laughed around her in the shadows in a most ominous manner. "S-See? Others are laughing. Let's-let's do it too! Laughing makes everything easier! Think of something funny!"

Miseria appeared beside Pinkie Pie and made her jump. She spoke with heavy sarcasm and boredom in her voice. "Ugh. Yes, let's! Because obviously, there is so much fun to think of in this aimless, dark, destroyed maze… Oh, I'm just _dying_ of the humor here."

She laid in the air and put purple shades on over her eyes. She appeared to be completely bored and unimpressed with Pinkie's attempts at cheerfulness.

Pinkie frowned a bit and tried to move on, but Miseria just wouldn't allow things to be so easy. "Okay…"

Discord rushed through many paths quickly, and even tried to fly and float faster. It seemed like every minute, the presence and energy of the Elements of Harmony weakened more within the large, dark maze, always in locations he could not find easily.

He teleported above the labyrinth to try to see better, and was careful to not touch the barrier. He did not want to trouble or bother himself with unlocking and canceling it. "Heh. Some spell… But you knew it'd be useless against me… Didn't you, Miseria?"

He looked around and raised an eyebrow. "Time is so strange around here… I wonder what's already happened with them, I can't really tell…"

After a sigh and a bit of grumbling, Discord moved on and searched harder. "There has to be at least one of them around here… I mean, this is ridiculous, she can't just be teleporting them-"

He gasped when he finally spotted Pinkie Pie off in the distance. "There she is! You better wait, Pinkie Pie!" He glared around as some snapping vines tried to trap him. After the bright flash of the teleportation, there was nothing for the plants to grasp but thin air, and each other.

Miseria lowered her shades a bit and looked at Pinkie Pie. She still had an unamused expression on her face. "Stop making such a fool of yourself. There's nothing remotely nice or good about this!"

Pinkie Pie glared at her and stepped forward. "Wrong! There's always a way to find something positive about a situation! That something positive gives hope and makes things fun!"

"Oh? Insightful words, coming from an airhead like you." Miseria slightly clapped her hooves together and nodded in approval while Pinkie Pie's eyes narrowed further with annoyance.

"I'm not an airhead!"

Miseria smiled and began the argument with the merry Element. "Are too. You're already floating, Laughter airhead! Let me guess, that's hot air?" She started to laugh, which made Pinkie Pie even more upset.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"And what are you going to do about it, airhead?! Are you going to laugh at me? Oh, that's going to be so scary and heartbreaking… I'll be scarred for life! Anything but you laughing at me!"

"Well, yeah, maybe I will laugh at you! You're a meanie who thinks it's right to mock others. Meanies that think they are cooler and greater by insulting others and laughing at them are funny, you know! Well… They're not even funny… But they really are to be laughed at!"

"And why?"

"B-because-their ways are so silly! They're sillier than me! Sillier than Discord!"

"Hm… It's funny how you should talk about Discord being silly… You ripped him off, you know. Big time, I'll add. He used to be the 'Element of Joy and Laughter' before you. Or, at least, that's what _they_ thought." Miseria grimaced with disgust, and cringed at the very idea.

"What are you talking about?! And who are 'they'?!"

"Oh, don't worry. It's nothing that an airhead should know." Miseria laughed again and continued to mercilessly tease the irritated pink pony.

"Quit it! Quit laughing at me! I told you it's not funny!"

Miseria chuckled, then gave Pinkie a smug smirk. "You see? Not all laughter is fun."

Pinkie Pie groaned and sat down. "Alright, look. If you're trying to turn me into a gray grump, you can forget about it, 'cause it's not gonna happen! I already know that not all laughter can be fun. Some of it can be cruel and hurtful to others, because they find the wrong reasons and things to laugh at…"

Miseria tilted her head to the side and continued to stare at her, as if proving her point.

"But, guess what! I don't care! As long as I know the difference, I don't care if there's mean laughter! I know I would never laugh out of cruelty at anypony, and nopony would laugh at me like that, either! Only a true meanhead like you would find it funny to laugh at other pony's problems."

"Well, yes. Only I can see the true amusement and hilarious sense of it all."

"You're not getting it! I could laugh at you, because you look even uglier than Discord."

Miseria gave her a glare. "You try that and you'll have to count yourself a goner."

"Not necessary, because I won't! I won't laugh not because I'm scared of you, but because I know it would hurt your feelings if I did. And nopony likes to have their feelings hurt."

"What do you know about hurt feelings!" Miseria frowned and supported her front leg's elbow in her right hoof, also holding her face in her left hoof in a thoughtful pose. Her hind legs were crossed while she sat in the air once more and heard Pinkie Pie's rant with genuine interest, still unamused.

"I don't need to know, though everypony does know that. I don't enjoy hurting others, that's why!"

"Funny how you should mention that... Um, Pinkie Pie, right? That nopony would harm you with laughter and vice versa... Very interesting that you of all ponies would say that."

"Why is that interesting?! Everypony knows that's what I'd do! Or, wouldn't do" Pinkie Pie frowned again and turned around. She wasn't about to listen to mean, untruthful words again.

Miseria grinned and flew in front of her. "Oh, Pinkie, you're so daft. It's interesting because… because you do hurt others! You do exactly what you pride yourself in avoiding!" She tapped her hoof in the air and laughed while Pinkie gave her a confused look.

Different scenes appeared around Pinkie Pie, to show her the things she did and said in the past, in various inopportune situations.

She had burst out laughing when Discord first showed himself at the Canterlot Palace, on the colored windowpanes. _"He's dancing on your head!"_ She had screamed to Twilight, though the others were discussing something terribly important and serious.

Pinkie Pie gasped and quickly looked away from that scene. "Wait! I didn't-"

She had smiled with glee, and chuckled when the Apple Family seemed to be forced out of Sweet Apple Acres by the Flim Flam Brothers.

She seemed unable and uncaring to grasp the gravity of the situation; instead, she thoroughly enjoyed the cider that the Flim Flam Brothers had made to persuade the audience._"Mmm, so good! It's too bad you guys are leaving. Maybe we can write each other! Ooh, more cider! Gimme!"_

"Hold on a minute, I didn't-"

She was seen laughing when Cranky Doodle Donkey's precious album and memories were destroyed.

"Hey! It wasn't like-"

The next couple of scenes were of Miseria's invention. Discord and Celestia had argued about something or other regarding themselves. Discord tried to approach Celestia, but it only ended with Celestia blasting him away of the palace, into a muddy pile.

Pinkie Pie snorted, then burst out laughing while Discord pushed himself up and looked at his muddy self. _"That-That was so-"_ She wasn't able to continue from the laughter, ignoring Discord while he growled a bit and glared at her. _"So funny! Do it again, do it again!"_

"But… But, wait a minute… That never even-" Pinkie Pie gasped and turned around to find her friends surrounding her. "Oh… Guys! It's so good you're here. You won't believe what I've-"

She trailed off when she saw that they all stared at her with resentful and serious expressions. It didn't take a genius to figure out that they had enough of her mockery and tasteless cruel jokes. "G-guys…?"

"Pinkie Pie, why do you keep laughing at everything that happens to us?!" Rainbow Dash tried to move her wings after a barrel of sticky gunk fell on them. Pinkie Pie hadn't lifted a hoof to help; she'd only laughed without control. That earned Rainbow Dash's glare. "I like a good joke, but this has nothing good in it!"

"B-but… No way! You know I'd never…"

Twilight gave her a disapproving look. "It's no longer fun, Pinkie Pie. Can't you see you're hurting all of us?"

"No, I… I-I do! I mean… Please, wait!"

Applejack stomped her hoof forward in annoyance, blocking Pinkie's way. She made no effort to hide her frustration and upset feelings. She was covered in honey from head to toe, and feathers were sticking out on her coat. There were also smashed pieces of apples in her mane.

Pinkie Pie blinked and looked at her with confusion and surprise. Applejack was a complete mess… There was no way that could be her work. _No way! I'd never hurt my friends like that… Not Applejack… Not like this…! I know Applejack's pride and joy are her apples, I would never…_

Applejack grumbled while she yanked out her stained, sticky prized hat and tried to shake the honey and apple off it. "We're busting our flanks to get to the princesses in time, puttin' all our effort forward. In the meantime, here y'all are, Pinkie Pie, placidly laughin' it off at our expense!"

"Applejack, just listen-"

Applejack shoved Pinke away. "This is just like that time y'all brought my barn down, even though my family and friends, we were all workin' so darn, tootin' hard to raise the thing! Y'all just laugh and have fun at us!"

"No… I don't do that… Applejack, that was an… It was an accident… You've got to believe me!" She cried out when she received a slap from a polished, white hoof. "R-Rarity…?"

Rarity was also fuming with anger. Her mane was splashed with ugly, dark paint all over, and her coat was itching from a reaction to a powder that she had been covered in not long ago. "This is humiliating! You're supposed to be our friend, Pinkie Pie. You should know better than to hurt us! Do you know how _long_ this will take to come off?! What kind of Element of Laughter are you?!"

Twilight shook her head. "A sick, twisted one."

Rainbow Dash huffed. "You've got no place hanging with us!" She looked at Rarity, who still glared at the pink earth pony with an indignant and hurt expression.

Fluttershy lowered her head, but she still glanced at Pinkie Pie with seriousness. "This mocking of yours, Pinkie Pie… It's very hurtful. It needs to stop. You can stop it… Can't you? I believe in you… Just like you have believed in me all those other times..."

Pinkie Pie looked at all of her friends in utter silence. She thought for a bit, then took a deep breath to answer them. _I have to tell them… I have to tell them now. Before it's too late!_

Miseria smirked and moved one hoof in the air, horizontally, just as Pinkie got ready to speak.

"There's no way I'm going to stop this! Why should I?! This is so much fun! You guys know I live for fun! That's my Element! I'd choose a good laugh over you any day and any night!" Pinkie Pie blinked, frozen with shock, though she was quick to cover her mouth as soon as she finished speaking.

The others stared at them with shock and hurt on their faces. Despite being upset with her, they were unable to believe what they had just heard.

_No… This… This can't be… How could I have said something so… No, no…! I didn't mean it…!_ Pinkie Pie's eyes teared up as she watched her friends' reactions.

Miseria chuckled while she watched from afar. "Oh, Pinkie Pie, you're right. You're a load of fun to work with… I'm never doubting you again."

Pinkie began to panic when her friends turned away from her and began to retreat. "Wait. No, that's not… That's not what I was going to say! Please, listen to me!"

Rarity turned her face upwards, with her eyes closed. "I don't know about the others, but I've heard enough!"

Pinkie started to cry while she ran after them. "You have to listen! That was a mistake! I didn't say that! Well, I did, but… I didn't mean it! I meant to say I'm sorry! I would never abandon my friends… I'd never hurt them like that! Please believe me… There's no way I'd-"

"Forget it, Pinkie Pie! Go laugh at somepony else! That is, if you can find anypony. We're through here!" Rainbow Dash glared at her, then walked towards Applejack, who consoled a crying Fluttershy.

Applejack patted Fluttershy's back and shook her head at Pinkie Pie. "There's no way we're going to take your insults and mockery any longer, Pie. Goodbye-an' good riddance, too!"

Twilight wiped her tears away and kept her head lowered. She did not look at Pinkie, even as she walked past her. "You've made your choice. We're not going to let somepony hurt us like this. We love you, Pinkie Pie, but we have had enough. We have to take care of each other. You've decided to let us go."

"Wait! No! Please don't leave me! Please!" Pinkie fell on the ground and cried more while she begged her friends to return. "No! I-I promise I won't laugh anymore! I promise! I'll never laugh at anypony or anything ever again!" She pulled off her Element and it away. "Here, take it! I don't want it without you! No! Don't leave me! You're my friends, you can't leave me!"

Miseria shocked Pinkie Pie with her tail and laughed while the pink mare convulsed from the energy. Finally she dropped her on the ground and wiped her eyes. "This is getting so good! How deliciously ironic… Don't you think so, Laughter thing? I thought you'd never turn into a grump. You said you'd never stop laughing. Well… You know what they say. 'Never say never', right?"

She picked up the necklace while Pinkie Pie continued to cry and call out for her friends weakly. "That was just too much fun. I guess there are things to laugh at in this labyrinth after all. Oh, lots of them!"

She licked her lips again, then disappeared when she heard Discord close, actually calling her name.

"Miseria, you better not have gone anywhere! It's about time you and I-" Discord stopped once he found Pinkie Pie on the ground, alone and broken-down, her rational mind gone. "Pinkie Pie…?"

He walked closer when Pinkie Pie didn't answer… And was creeped out when he found that her usually messy mane was completely straight. "Geez… Pinkie Pie!"

Pinkie Pie's head was lowered while she shivered. "Please… D-don't… They… Th-they left me… Heh, heh! They just… They just turned around and left!" She smiled as her eye twitched. "Get it? They left! My friends just left to… I don't know, throw a party or something! They looked really happy, they did… I think I'll join them… Wait… No. I shouldn't join them. Not if it's a surprise party… Right…? It's a surprise…"

Discord sighed with desperation and shook her a little when she started to laugh. "Pinkie, snap out of it! Everypony is still here!"

"I wasn't supposed to laugh!" Pinkie Pie covered her mouth with her hooves, though she kept snickering. "But I can't help it! What do I keep from laughing for now? They left. They got bored! They left!"

"What on earth are you saying… What did she _do_ to you?!"

Pinkie Pie's eyes filled with tears again. "No! Don't leave me! Please! I don't want to be alone!"

"...Nopony has left you, Pinkie Pie. It's just an illusion… Don't let her trap you in it! You're not alone… None of us are alone! Do you understand that, we're just separated! That doesn't mean we're on our own!"

He kept staring at Pinkie Pie, who didn't seem to have heard a word that he had said to try to comfort her. He shook his head and grumbled a bit. "Oh, this isn't going to work." He tapped her head with her eagle claw and watched her gasp and whimper before she drifted off into a deep sleep.

"That should help. I hope the others aren't doing too bad… If this is what's going on, then I better pick up the pace… Who knows if she'll do something that I won't be able to repair!" He put Pinkie in his arms, then floated away while looking cautiously at his surroundings.

* * *

I finished! Funny how this took me such a long time… Phew! This ended up being more intense than I originally had planned… But I'm very happy with the results! It's hardcore, guys! I'm such an evil, evil person…

Boy. I gotta say, Pinkie Pie is far from my favorite of the Mane Six… But I really do feel for her here. This was just… Yikes. I think this is among the strongest illusions. Though, now that I think about it, all of them are pretty bad, considering their level of emotional toll.

So, Pinkie's most horrible despair and fear is being alone… Misunderstood with her desire to have fun, and live the world through a positive note… Eventually driving her friends away, and falling into the pit of maddening monotony and… silence again. I think the flat Pinkamena manestyle and crazy babbling was a great effect! Discord hasn't had the chance to meet her yet, I thought it'd be nice. No, he did not like.

Like usual, feel free to tell me exactly what you think. I think I nailed it with Pinkie Pie! Despite not preferring her... But I also do believe I made her quite whiny and... depressive at the end of the chapter. Though, well, she's not exactly going through a party, is she...


	24. Revelations in the Labyrinth IV

**Revelations in the Labyrinth- Storytime**

Discord gasped when he heard Fluttershy's cries in the distance. "That was Fluttershy! Good, I'm getting closer!" He held Pinkie Pie more securely in his arm and continued to fly forward.

However, he stopped after a few minutes, to shake and hold his head. "Darn this time-alter magic again…! Hmph. Miseria, you really are more messed up than I thought."

He growled slightly when a wall of thorns and stone blocked his way. "This…" He looked around, and found that his whole path was blocked. "...Only reflects how annoying you have become, dear. Overbearing, if I do say so myself. Hm?"

Miseria ignored his comments while she appeared in front of him. "Ironic, isn't it? Three years ago, you trapped _them_ in a labyrinth to corrupt them and get them out of the game. You cared nothing for them."

Discord narrowed his eyes a bit while he stared at her.

"Now _you_ are the one trying to help them, brother. And save them. Oh, the goodness of you! You've really changed." She giggled and gracefully skated in the air around him.

"Brother… Hmph. Don't you call me that anymore, Miseria." He made sure Pinkie Pie was out of her reach and turned away to avoid looking at her.

"Oh, why not? I can call you whatever I want. I have that much freedom and power over you, after all."

"Where is Celestia? Where did you hide her, Miseria? Let's just cut to the chase and save ourselves all this, don't you think?" Discord set Pinkie Pie down close to him to have both of his arms free. Though he spoke calmly, he still remained on guard and cautious, not putting anything past Miseria.

"Skip over all of this? No. Why should we?! This is fun, brother. You had your own… Even though you completely failed in the end. So, let me have mine!" She floated on her back and spun in the air.

She looked up when Discord floated by her head to make her stop. "Hmm…" She stifled a yawn and waved her hoof dismissively. "Boring…"

"Stop it already, tell me where the others are!" He made her stop again and bared his teeth in frustration.

"Heh, heh, heh. Ooh, quite heroic. Aren't you, big brother?" Miseria slipped away from him and studied him as though she was about to get his measures. "But, you know, that role doesn't suit you at all."

She appeared beside Discord and held his arm, giving him a dull look. "Wouldn't you rather go with something more… grand, and chaotic? Because the villain role, you know… Some are naturals at-"

He walked away from her and rolled his eyes. "I'll find a couple of spells to trap you in that suit you very well, Miseria. Forget it, I'll find Celestia and the others on my own. You'll see."

"Oh, good luck with that…" Miseria sat on top of a rock, stretching out her long, clawed, metal hind legs. She smiled a little while the mark at the side of her face grew just a bit more. "And then what will you do?"

Discord blinked and glanced at her over his shoulder. "..."

"Oh, wait, I know… I know this one." She smiled brightly, though everything about her expression still featured wickedness. "You'll bring her down, won't you? You'll do it with your own claw and paw. Oh, brother, you sure took your sweet time coming around this decision!"

He glared at her and shook his head. "Now, why would you even think-"

"Because I know you will do it. It's just meant to be. She and you don't go well together, brother. You are not an item. You'll destroy each other in the end! I can't believe that after all this time, you still don't realize that." Miseria smirked and played around with her hooves, then glanced up at him shamelessly. "You and I, though… That's about as solid as it comes…"

Discord grimaced with disgust and moved away from her, surprising her a little. "Stop it. I already told you, Miseria. I will never be with you. You have no right to even relate yourself to me."

She sighed and shrugged. "Oh, I already know that. Hmph, like I was even asking you to come to me. That's a thing of the past. The deep, _deep_ past. Celestia can have you all to herself if she so desires."

She leaned back on the rock and played with her mane. "Anyway… Let me tell you a story, big brother. I do feel like singing tonight. It will be a good one."

"I ran out of darns to give for it, Miseria. Besides, you know your singing won't affect me."

"I know that. I just feel like singing you a little story." Miseria gave her a sly smile and slipped off the rock to walk to him. "Besides… It's about you… It deserves quite a lot of attention."

"And I'm fresh out."

"C'mon, Discord…" She walked underneath him and brushed her mane on his chin. "Don't be such a grump. Isn't it about time you relaxed? You'll love it. It's one of my favorites. In fact, I made it up myself, when I was still being trained by the Dark One."

Discord raised an eyebrow while he watched Miseria come and go. He then quickly shook his head and frowned to concentrate. "I told you this won't work."

"He loved it, too. Listen, listen!" She smiled and pranced gracefully away from Discord when music began to play all around them.

Silhouettes made of smoke appeared on a tiny stage before them. The miniature characters were difficult to make out as they wandered around the smoke platform where they were to perform. Only the basic shape of each character could be vaguely recognized.

One of them looked like some sort of dragon, while the other was an alicorn.

Miseria appeared next to Discord, wearing a small smile on her face. _"There was a great king, years ago. And he was beautiful…"_ She caressed his beard and cheek with her hoof, then snuggled up to him.

He blinked with a weirded out face and moved away from her without saying anything.

She did not mind his rejection. Instead, she gave an amused look to the dragon-shaped silhouette. _"A proper artist in his trade… But into stone his life was made… And he was beautiful~"_

She floated away from Discord and watched while the shadow dragon character performed magic around the kingdom beneath it. She let out a sigh and gave it a longing glance.

Discord watched Miseria with suspicion while she stared at the stage. "...What was his crime?" He glanced at the little figurine that Miseria fawned over.

She sighed and looked up at him to give him an unamused gaze. "Foolishness." She pulled her hoof away and waved it, then moved away from Discord.

The alicorn silhouette appeared again, right beside the dragon. Miseria raised an eyebrow and watched as they cuddled together, the alicorn nuzzling the dragon king's neck.

_"He had this gal, you see. Pretty little thing. Silly little bit. Had her chance for the world on a string. Poor thing…"_ Miseria raised her other hoof and made the alicorn walk gracefully around the dragon's enchanted kingdom. However, she was alone.

The alicorn was then placed in the shadow castle. She looked down upon the world sadly, and refused to meet anypony that wanted to console her.

Another creature approached the castle, looking up at the alicorn. His body was mismatched and made of different animal body parts, but he seemed kind towards the shadow alicorn princess, and even fond of her.

Discord blinked and stared at the balcony, where the shadow alicorn graced those below with her presence. She stared quietly at the mismatched creature. "Th-That's… Don't tell me it's…"

Miseria did not answer his incomplete questions, but kept singing instead. _"There was this one, you see. Wanted her like mad. Everyday he sent her a flower."_

She looked down at the scene while the creature appeared flowers for the alicorn, which she refused only to go inside her room and close the balcony window.

_"But did she come down from her tower? Sat up there and sobbed by the hour. Poor foal…"_

"Miseria, that's enough. This is hardly relevant to-"

_"Ah, but there was worse yet to come! Poor thing…"_ Miseria nudged Discord away and tapped her hoof in the air to change the scene of the stage.

The mismatched creature was shown suffering at the sorrow of his broken heart. After many failed attempts to conquer the alicorn princess' heart, he grew bitter, vengeful, and cunning towards the princess. Instead of lovingly watching out for her every day, he stalked and spied on her, making her life difficult.

A smaller alicorn silhouette appeared at the castle door. She knocked on the door, and was seen speaking to the alicorn princess. Unlike the princess, the smaller alicorn glimmered like diamonds, and seemed quite playful and young.

_"His Sister calls on her all polite, poor thing. Poor thing! 'The King,' she tells her, 'is all contrite. He blames himself for her dreadful plight. She __**must**__ come straight to his lands tonight,' poor thing! Poor thing!"_

"Miseria, what is the meaning of this?!" Discord gasped and looked at the shadow figures in shock once they took form again. "Wait…"

On the stage before him, the figurines were having a ball in the Everfree Forest. He saw that the alicorn princess was none other than Celestia. All the smoke and shadows that covered the figurines was cleared at once, and revealed masked, cold ponies that danced and laughed around the princess, impervious to her.

She looked around with confusion while she explored the ball that unfolded at the forest. It seemed endless, and every location that Celestia wished to reach seemed to vanish the moment she turned.

Discord was the tiny, mismatched creature that now stalked Celestia with a wicked smirk on his face. He hid behind the bushes and trees, lurking behind the princess' back while she walked.

"What… What is this… Wait a minute, Miseria, what are you up to?!"

Miseria walked beside her shocked and confused 'brother' to continue watching the play. _"Of course, when she goes there, poor thing, poor thing, they're having this ball all in masks..."_

She watched Celestia as she looked around the forest for the Mane Six, or her sister, or anypony else that was familiar. She got frightened when she found nopony.

_"Nopony she knows there, poor dear, poor thing. She wanders, tormented and sick-poor thing!"_

Celestia grew more anxious. She struggled to pry her mane free from wild, dry branches. She felt nervous and self-conscious when all the cold, unfeeling stares of the stranger ponies landed on her.

They did not seem to care at all that she was a princess. They criticized and ignored her just the same. When she tried to call out to them or ask for help, they whirled and turned away, leaving her helpless.

Miseria smirked when she saw Discord's confused expression while his figurine self approached the frightened princess. _Here comes the best part…_

The figurine Discord made Celestia look further around the forest while he cruelly played with her. At the same time, he kept a sweet and tender look on his face, and his voice was soft when he called out to her.

The figurine Celestia smiled and trustingly moved forth, deeper into the woods. There was even a relieved expression on her face that soon faded into anxiety again.

_"The King has repented, she thinks, poor thing. 'Oh, where is King Discord?' she asks…"_

Discord gasped when the miniature draconequus approached Celestia from behind and raised his claws with a malevolent grin. "No, no, this can't be…" It's just a trick… Just a trick…

_"He was there, alright! Only not so contrite!"_ Miseria slammed her hoof down and walked around Discord.

"No! What-" Discord's eyes opened wider as he watched himself attack Celestia. He cringed at the sound of her screams and cries, and at his figurine's laughter.

Miseria tapped her hoof at the tempo of her song. _"She wasn't a match for such craft, you see, and all ponies thought it a joke."_

She looked around at the ponies that laughed at Celestia and clopped their hooves, demanding more.

_"She really was played for a daft, you see..."_

Discord shook his head and whispered while he watched.

_"So all of them stood there and laughed, you see. Poor soul!"_

"This couldn't have happened…"

_"Poor thing!"_ She smirked while Celestia was covered in the shadows that Discord summoned over her.

"NO!" Discord screamed and backed away from the shadows. He braced himself and tried not to shake from the nerves and shock. "I-I would never... I would never... never do that to her...!"

"But are you sure, brother? You hold such hatred for her, after all..."

"No! Not anymore!" Discord grunted and pulled away from Miseria when she approached him.

"Please don't lie to yourself, brother. She sealed you away, and she supported those who sealed you, too. She rejected you and gave her love to another. You can't deny or ignore those facts, they happened! They're the truth! Try hard as you like to pull yourself together, it just won't work. Not for her."

"That... That wasn't her. That was you! You manipulated things!" Discord still held his head while he glared at Miseria. "Don't try to make a fool out of me, you've got another thing coming! I know you controlled things so that they would go your way, but it won't work on me!"

"Hold your horses, will you. I only tweaked them a bit. Didn't need to do much. Heh, just like I hardly need to do anything to get these six ponies wrapped around my hoof! I'm getting them all in less than minutes, without even hypnotizing or forcing them."

She lifted a hoof to her face and gave Discord a mocking look. "So much more than you could ever do." She smirked and booped his nose with her hoof.

"That… That vision… It was just an illusion. It's not going to happen!" Discord waved the smoke away while he slowly composed himself. "I'm not so naive, Miseria. You'll do anything to get me out of my mind…"

"We're all mad here, brother." She giggled and rubbed herself against Discord again while she passed him. She also gave him a smug smirk. "Who knows. Maybe it will happen, maybe it won't. No matter how much you deny it, you are an evil creature. You were created in the Dark Land, like me. We're the same."

"N-no!" He grimaced while Miseria stood on her hind legs and leaned her front hooves on his chest… then licked his nose. "Leave me alone!"

Miseria stepped back on the ground while she licked her lips. "Evil creatures do evil things."

"Not anymore-it's over! I stopped being that a long time ago. I am in this labyrinth, dealing with you, for one reason only! So I can save her!" He rubbed his nose with his paw and glared at Miseria again.

"Oh, boo-hoo. I am so jealous…"

"Miseria, you're going to pay for this!" He tried to get her with his claw, but snarled when he missed.

Miseria laughed and turned around to walk in the air. She was small once again. "It was worth it, though. This little detour, I mean. You should've seen your face, brother-it was priceless! So you loved the story, huh? I really should write it down, it's a hit…"

Discord smirked and walked forward. "We'll see whose face is priceless when I'm through with you."

"Yeah, well, whatever. Good luck with that." She looked at Pinkie Pie, but then turned to Discord again when he stepped in front of her. "Heh. Gotta leave you now, brother. There's somepony else waiting for me!"

Discord glared up while Miseria vanished and left her laughter behind. He growled and brushed his claws over his ears briefly to get her ringing laughter out of his head. "I'm not going to fall for her tricks… Heh. There's no way I will give her that pleasure."

He grabbed Pinkie Pie, who groaned a bit in her sleep and whimpered before he tucked her under his arm again. "No… Have a party… No party of one…"

"You sleep there. Don't want anypony causing me any more trouble." He started to walk, with her snores following every step of the way. He ignored them, already deep in thought.

Once the blocking stone cleared, he was ambushed by more attacks, but he quickly canceled and vanished them. However, it only made his temper flare more while he made his way past other sections of the labyrinth. "Miseria…"

He smirked and snapped his fingers to vanish one of the hedge walls. _I know how I'm going to take you down now, Miseria dear…_ "Heh, heh, thanks for giving me such a commendable display. Now I know what your game is…" With that, he also vanished once the walls of hedges closed again.

* * *

I really liked coming up with this chapter! Completely improvised by myself, too. I incorporated it into the RP, and thus here. As I was looking through Miseria's messing around in the labyrinth, I heard the song that I have in my iPod, 'Poor Thing'. I was like, 'this is awfully fitting to Miseria and Dis-' and so the idea was spawned. And I couldn't put it down until it was here on the chapter.

It does fit so well, though! Something twisted that Miseria would totally use to try to mess with Discord. And she did, really… Made him lose his cool plenty of times. But, he got the last smirk. Guess he's up to something genius now! That's our Discord!

Again, I'm not claiming the song as mine. It's 'Poor Thing' from _Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street_ (as if you didn't know that already). And the movie was directed by Tim Burton. Hopefully you'll like it, I had great fun working with it.

Mocking Miseria is mocking and manipulative. I like this side of her-as I have expressed earlier. I really love that you guys are liking her too. Her intensity is gaining her fame! And I especially like that she's not overshadowing Discord at all, or like, being unrealistically better than him.

Okay! On to Rarity's breaking, if I'm not mistaken!


	25. Revelations in the Labyrinth V

**Revelations in the Labyrinth- The Generous Forgotten**

Rarity's path was dark as can be. Even the light from her horn was barely enough for her to see over obstacles on the ground and in front of her. Regardless of the poor vision, she walked frantically, for she wished to get as far away from the place as she could.

"Keep it together, Rarity. Keep yourself together! Just… Hurry up and find the others. The moment we find the princesses, it'll be over! Oh, I'll be able to go back home, to a warm, relaxing bath, maybe a refreshing facial, a pony-pedi, a massage, and then to cuddle with Opal! That will be divine… B-but first I have to be smart and get out of here."

She walked further while encouraging herself and staying out of the plants' reach. "I shan't allow myself to fall prey to this evil and morbid labyrinth! Not again, not ever!" She touched her forehead dramatically, then walked faster. "That's right. The sooner I get to the end… The sooner we'll all be-"

Her progress was interrupted when she noticed than none other than Miseria had appeared a short distance before her. "What?! Ahh!" She was startled by the sudden apparition, and had to dig her hooves into the ground to keep herself from crashing against the mismatched alicorn.

"Whew! About time you made it. I've been waiting for a while, you know. I was just about to snack on these… I was so bored." Miseria let a small yawn, then lifted a box full of beautiful jewels. She smiled and winked at Rarity, then licked her lips.

Rarity let out a shocked gasp. "Y-you were going… to eat… those?!" She pointed at the jewels with her hoof and stared at them with disbelief. _I must have heard wrong, of course. She wouldn't be so…_ "Th-they're beautiful! And there's so many of them, too… Oh, you simply could-would not-commit such an atrocity!"

Miseria smirked and gave her a smug look. "Why not? They're just rocks. Nothing compared to my beauty. In fact, I should be insulted-you pay more attention to these rocks than you do to me." She made a dramatic gesture with her hoof, then looked down upon Rarity again.

The white unicorn opened her eyes wide and nearly screamed when Miseria began to crunch down on one of the precious gemstones. They had such a beautiful shine, and were so lovely that she would have cherished them greatly! All the wonderful dresses that she could have made with those adornments…

"Wh-what… What… What do you think you're doing?! If you don't care for them, you could at least… Oh, I don't know, just…!" She let out an irritated sigh and turned around. "Forget it. That I worry myself over your jewels, how ridiculous! Perish the thought!"

She frowned indignantly with her eyes closed, then tried to walk past Miseria. "I really do hope those jewels suit you well. _Bon appetit._ Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get going."

Miseria sighed. "These things are really just junk, Rarity. Why do you bother with them? Why do you care for them?" She tossed the box of jewels over her shoulder, then approached Rarity again. "You know what else is junk? _You._ All of you. You're not even worth my time. Maybe I should just move on to Discord…"

Rarity nodded. "Yes, perhaps you should. After all, if I'm worth so little, there should be no need for the lady to waste time here! Right? Do go on to worthier opponents. I'll just stay here and be on my way, wallowing in my unworthiness."

"None of you are worth this game..."

Rarity lost her patience and glared at her to protest. "Why do you make us go through this, then?! Just leave us alone and pester someone else! Discord would put up such a fine match with you!"

Miseria giggled. "Discord?! Don't be silly…"

Rarity tried to move away from her, without much success. "Why do you pick on us like this? We have done absolutely nothing to you! Get out of my way, you're just trying to annoy me!"

"Because it's fun! Do I need another reason? I'm bored and want to find something to do before I destroy everything and everypony that you ever knew. It's actually a very fun game… To break you all into little pieces. I should have thought of it sooner, but that would have ruined everything…"

"You… You're just using us for your games…"

"Duh! That's all ponies should be used for! You're all such a joke."

Rarity took a deep breath, suppressing an angry hiss. She stepped forward and tried to contain her anger and frustration. She wanted to get her hooves on that little mocking creature so badly…

_Easy, Rarity. That's all she wants, and you won't give her that satisfaction. I am a lady, and I will behave as such. She won't get the best of me… Keep your composure, girl. There's more important things to do._ She sighed and looked at Miseria again. Honestly, she also was afraid of even putting one of her hooves on that… thing, whatever it was.

"Not much of a difference, is there? 'Using', 'playing'... Whatever… Oh, and then there's destruction, too! Heh, you all will make great subjects for that. In fact, I'd say you'll be among the first to go."

"Ooh, you are certainly the most selfish, arrogant, mean… _thing_! That I have ever-"

Miseria glared at Rarity and threw her back with the force of her magic. "I'm not a 'thing', for your information. I have a name; it's Miseria!" She folded her legs and continued to float in the air. "The only reason I am like this… With this attitude that you call 'selfish' and 'arrogant'... is because, unlike you, I _am_ beautiful enough to be so and get away with it. Besides, it's not even selfishness! I think of myself and make myself happy… so that I can make others happy!"

"Make others happy?! Why don't you stop talking nonsense?!"

"YES-MAKE THEM HAPPY!" Miseria snapped and glared at Rarity, then forced her back up roughly. "Ever thought about how _I_ felt when my brother turned his ugly, traitorous back on _me_?! No, you didn't, did you?!"

She slammed her against the ground once again. "You don't know anything, like always! Except how pretty your mane is. None of you ever think about the 'bad' one! Only about yourselves, and you call _me_ selfish! Who do you think you are?! You don't have that right! I helped him as much as I could-I made him feel good about himself, no matter how he was or what he did! I worked so hard to prepare that surprise to him… And… I worked even harder to lower my powers so that they could match his! It was so difficult to keep myself at his level so I wouldn't hurt or destroy him…"

Rarity pulled away from the vines that held her, then scooted away from Miseria.

"He would have been happy being just the way he truly is, without any changes, if he had chosen me. But no! He had to go and fall for the pretty spoiled princess, didn't he?! He had to become her pathetic toy and… and even be willing to fight me because of her! He's such an idiot! So stupid! And if there's anybody to blame for manipulation, it's _her_! She always ruins everything-she took him away from me!"

Rarity stared at her with shock and caution. Though she was still mad, she tried to understand what Miseria was talking about. "You… You care for Discord? You actually…"

Miseria glared at her again and hid a small blush. "No! Of course I don't! Why would I care for that lying, worthless, spineless failure?! I gave him a chance and he blew it-tough for him! I already moved on, to have my fun with you little ponies. It's so entertaining to play around with creatures as stupid and naive as you. Not to mention ugly… Heh. Ironic, isn't it? That a beauty like me stoops down to your wretched level."

"Oh, please don't make me laugh. You could never even hope to be beautiful."

"Of course I am! The most beautiful creature that ever was and will be in Equestria, if I may say so myself. You could never rival me. _That_ is why I act like this. Because I deserve it."

She laid down on a floating pillow of expensive feathers that appeared beneath her. Levitating golden fans also fanned her while she stretched.

"Ooh, it's lunch time." She clapped her hooves to appear a pile of new gemstones in front of her. They happened to be the organized, prepared collection that Rarity kept in her supply drawers.

"Hey! Stop it-put those down! They're mine!"

"Not anymore." Miseria put the gemstones in a cup and shook it a little. When the jewels turned into a colorful, sparkling liquid, she drank it, then ate the glass. She also appeared some of Rarity's dresses to use as napkins. "Besides… Aren't you supposed to be the Element of _Generosity_? So be generous and share some of your tacky things with your queen. She'll give them better use."

"You don't deserve to be granted any generosity! You're a terrible monster! A-a-"

Miseria rolled her eyes and sighed when Rarity started off her rant. She couldn't care less what the glamorous unicorn had to say. She kept blowing off steam like a whistling teapot!

Finally, she had enough. "Listen, to _me_. I may be a monster, but guess who's the queen here now? _Me_! I can do whatever I please! Generosity is for those that have nothing else to do, nothing else to keep to their name, nothing to be remembered by but their so-called 'humble heart'!"

Rarity stepped back when Miseria almost struck her with her magic. She was about to protest again, but stayed quiet when she saw a threatening glare in the 'queen's' eyes.

"Even though you may not have a hair of humility, nopony will ever remember you for anything else except your Element. But even that fake fame will wear off after a while, and you'll be old, alone, and unknown. You know why? Because you were too busy giving and doing silly things for others that you never bothered to care for the only pony that _really_ mattered: you."

Rarity scoffed and turned away from while shifting in her hooves. "Don't be ridiculous. I know I am important, and I _do_ display that. I do it through my work, and even through my friends! They help me feel the most importance with the good things that they have to offer. Being important and brilliantly fashion-cultured-as I know that I am-does not make anypony around me less worthy of consideration and good treatment! Unlike you, I respect them because they see me with respect and the same considerate thoughts."

"Hmm… Funny, 'cause that's not what others seem to think." Miseria grinned, then snickered.

Rarity was quite exasperated and irritated by then. "Listen, Selfish Queen, you're not going to make me doubt on what I am and what I define as generous to offer, thank you very much. So you can take your-"

Miseria smirked and tapped her hoof to make both of them appear in Canterlot.

It was a beautiful day, and everypony wore fabulous clothes from astonishing and very well-known designers. Rarity could recognize almost all of them, and her jaw almost fell open when she spotted all the celebrities that had contributed to such an event, also wearing the best and most popular of attires.

"These… These are so good! When did we… When did these…?" Rarity couldn't even complete her sentences while she admired all the different styles of designs. She recognized some, and admired the glory and beauty of others for the first time.

Everypony looked radiant in those designs, but none seemed familiar, in the sense of any design being her own work. "That's… Well, a bit odd…"

Miseria floated down by Rarity's side while she looked at one of the gala style gowns. "Look at that… Hoity Toity promoted them all! He has great designer acquaintances that he gave huge boosts to."

"Y-you don't say…"

Miseria giggled and held the dress up with her magic once she stood on the ground. Then she looked up at Rarity and nodded. "Yup! Everypony that knows him now displays their very best work at the most remarked stores. Nopony talks of anything else-these new fashion lines are everything!"

She walked back to another store and tried on a light pink scarf. "I do have to say so myself, look at this! Simply fabulous, isn't it?"

She had moved on to a glittering, dark-green gown that complimented the beauty of her upper body. She let out a sigh once she looked at herself in the mirror.

Rarity's eyes widened with glee while she smiled. "Hoity Toity really… Did he really do that? That's… Oh, my, that's… I can't believe it, the honor… I mean, just imagine…"

Miseria blinked and looked back at Rarity. "Oh, yeah! I think I should mention a little something…" She put her hooves together, then smiled a little. "See, good, old Hoity Toity did promote every designer… Every designer except for _you_."

Rarity gasped and quickly turned to look at Miseria. She had heard wrong-again. _She said that Hoity Toity promoted everypony… Everypony that he knows. He knows me! I worked so hard for him…_ "B-but… But…"

Miseria put a hoof around Rarity's shoulders. "You were too busy being generous to your friends, Rarity. You let the most important due date of a designer's lifetime pass you by." She modeled in front of a mirror while she spoke to the shocked white unicorn behind her. "Hey, do you think this would go well with a hat? I do prefer dark colors that contrast my light coat…"

Rarity shook her head, taking deep breaths to compose herself. "What… Wh-what are you talking about?!"

Miseria rolled her eyes. "Well, duh! C'mon, I'm not Celestia. Why would I want to look so flashy and overdone when I'm already so beautiful that I sparkle!" She lifted in the air to show off her beautiful attire. Her coat took on the shimmer of diamonds just as a fluffy fur scarf appeared around her neck. "Ooh, lovely~"

"You know very well that's not what I meant!" Rarity stomped her hoof on the ground again and glared at Miseria quite intensely while the mismatched alicorn continued to ignore her.

"Oh. The friends thing. Geez, you're so boring! For a pony interested in fashion you really are hopeless and utterly insipid." Miseria waved her hoof aside and disappeared both the mirror and the outfit that she had worn. "Why am I wasting my time here…?"

"Get on with your senseless games already! We don't have any time to lose! You really are ending my patience. It's about time somepony puts you in your place! Get on with it!"

Miseria giggled and tapped her hoof in the air. "Alright, posh lady. As you wish…" She smirked and floated back beside Rarity to look at the anticipated show that awaited the unicorn.

Rarity gasped when she saw the scenes of all the times that she put so much effort into making good quality outfits for her friends. "What's the meaning of this? I-"

"My goodness, look at all that wasted time! Oh, that simply wouldn't do at all…" Miseria shook her head and let out a disappointed sigh while she watched.

Rainbow Dash quickly approached Rarity at her shop. _"Rarity! I've got an emergency! Listen, there's going to be this dance thing at the Wonderbolts Academy. I usually wouldn't worry about it and just go and be cool and have fun and whatever, but-but this time, it's different! Everypony's gonna be there, all the Wonderbolts are gonna be right with us! They're-they're gonna be at the__**dance**__! I don't know what to wear that doesn't make me look lame or cheesy. I want it to be cool enough for the Wonderbolts, for the party and the dance! There's that dress that you made-"_

"Oh, but darling, that is so last season! You've come to the right pony for this. I'll get you something good to wear in no time.

" Rarity smiled at her friend, then blinked when she saw a strange envelope in her mail. It looked like an important notification._"Hm? What is this, now?"_

Twilight walked into the shop with a smile. _"I was wondering if you could help me, Rarity. I hope I'm not intruding, but you see… I'm having a very important audience with the princesses and the Royal Council in the afternoon. It really will mean a lot if you could help me… You've always-"_

"Twilight dear, I assure you you'll look your very best! It's the least I've got to do for a good friend! I'm going to dress you in such a way that your magic won't be the only thing that impresses them!"

As she turned around to choose the fabric, Rarity was surprised by another addition to her correspondence. _"Oh! A designer's summon? That's so strange!"_

"Ehh, funny how you y'all talk about impressin' there, Rarity. There's this, uh, Apple family reunion that we're doin' in Fillydelphia, see. Granny Smith wants me to meet this, uh, relative three or four times removed or somethin'."

Applejack blushed a bit, feeling a bit uncomfortable. _"She insisted for some reason that Ah dress to impress. But, you know, y'all don't have to work so hard if-"_

"Oh, Applejack, don't worry. You'll leave that gentlecolt begging to get a chance to come here to Ponyville himself, just to see you!"

Rarity gave her a reassuring nod while her horn glowed with her magic, and she pulled out fabric colors that suited Applejack. _"Just you wait, my friend!"_

Applejack tapped her hoof on the floor awkwardly as she blushed again. _"Aw, shucks. Thanks, Rarity, you're mighty kind as always."_

"A-And, speaking of kindness, Rarity…? I'm sorry, but... Could you please make something nice for Angel to wear? I-If you're not too busy, of course. I wouldn't want to disturb you."

Fluttershy nudged Angel in front of her, then looked up at Rarity. _"See, he's going to visit some bunny friends, and I wouldn't want him to feel uncomfortable with first impressions. I know that wearing something that a friend made for him will give him much confidence. And I couldn't think of a better pony to do it. Please? I-If you're not, well, if you're free..."_

"Oh, you've got it, Fluttershy! I just need to reply to this notification and-"

Rarity lifted her mail with her magic. However, she grunted and fell down a few seconds later, tackled by her perky, pink earth pony friend.

_"Rarity! Tell me what to wear, please! You gotta help me!"_ Pinkie Pie said, standing over Rarity for a few seconds before the white mare pushed her off.

_"D-do you need a dress?"_

"What? No!"

"Then-"

"I already have a dress, I just need you. I really, really need you to help me pick what to wear!"

"Pinkie! But- if you already have a nice-"

"Come and tell me, tell me, tell me! I can't choose on my own! The Cakes are finally taking me to one of their deliveries! I wanna look all nice and everything!"

Pinkie Pie pressed Rarity quite eagerly, and literally cornered her against the wall.

_"But Pinkie, you can choose a dress yourself, I'm in the middle of-"_

"You've helped everypony else, I'm just asking you for a teensy little bit of a favor!"

Rarity sighed with quite some annoyance. _"Alright, I'll do it..."_ She glanced aside and scooted away when Pinkie Pie burst out in happiness and thanked her quickly.

Miseria watched as the scenes of Rarity busting her back for all of her friends played around the both of them, followed by those of the important due dates of Rarity's own interest passing by, completely unnoticed. "Ohh…"

Rarity gave her a look. "What? What is it?!"

"All that time passed… And you never attended any of those important conferences. Such a shame. Maybe you would have at least gotten to the top twenty. Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a disappointment..."

One of the ponies in Canterlot approached another. Even though they were standing almost right beside Rarity and Miseria, they did not notice them. _"Hey, you ever heard of that Rarity designer in Ponyville?"_

"Rary-what?"

"I don't know, I heard about that awhile ago. Made me curious about her and her works..."

"There's a designer in Ponyville?" Another pony asked while approaching the two. "Now that's something you don't hear of every day…"

"Heh, heh. Nah. Oh, please. It's probably a town tale or something."

Rarity gasped, frozen with horror. "To.. Town… 'Town tale'?! No! I'm real! I'm Rarity! This can't be! It couldn't! There's no way I'm that unpopular! No!" She started crying as the ponies passed by her, leaving her completely unnoticed. "I can't be ruined, I can't! This can't be happening to me!"

She looked up at the ponies with tears in her eyes, but noticed that they only looked at her with disgust and moved away from the dresses of her making that laid now scattered across the ground.

They turned their face upwards and trampled them down into the dirt and mud, using them to wipe their hooves while they laughed, chatted, and went about their day.

"N-no, please be careful with that, it's one of-ooh, please watch it! No! Sir, I beg you, please do reconsider! This will make a wonderful matching suit for your madame's gala dress!" Rarity panted and looked at the ponies desperately. She burst into tears and held her dresses close to her. "Please! I didn't do anything wrong, leave me alone!"

Miseria giggled and made her shiver and flinch. "You are alone, idiot. Alone and destitute. Forgotten. Completely out of your place. It's where all this 'generosity' gets you. You gave them all." She smirked and watched Rarity break down once she was through with the illusions.

She twirled her element necklace in her hoof. "That was too entertaining. Heh, heh! It felt great to put that pretty wannabe in her place!" She nodded and then swallowed the Element, making a bit of a face. "Doesn't taste much different than those gemstones…"

Discord now had Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Fluttershy, all limp and fast asleep under his arms. "This is unbelievable..." He blinked when he found Rarity, trapped in the same broken-down state as the others.

"Rarity?" He passed his tail over her horror-struck face and saw no response. "Rarity. Can you hear me?"

Rarity gasped and buried her face in her hooves, whimpering. "My life's work… It's over… I just wanted… I just wanted to… I thought I was doing everything right… Why didn't they tell me anything?!"

Discord blinked and stepped back so that Rarity wouldn't pounce on him. "C-calm down!"

"Those traitors! They cost me my beloved work! No! Where are they to help me now?!"

"Ugh… Miseria, she… She's really going too far!" He floated over Rarity and snapped the end of his tail before her face, to make her fall unconscious. He caught her and rolled her up in his tail, holding her close to Fluttershy.

"Didn't even give them time to get to the end, didn't even give them a chance to fight back before she took their elements. I know I'm no saint to talk, Miseria, but this level of manipulation is just too much!"

He moved his head to glance at the ponies worriedly and checked them to make sure they still were undisturbed. _Good, they're still sleeping soundly. Hadn't it been for my spell, they would've lost their minds..._

"Alright, girls. Enjoy a nice, calming nap while I get that cheating trickster down to the place where she belongs. Oh, won't be long, now. She's starting to get it. How cornered she is… At least I can give her that much credit."

He smirked, then vanished into light again to move on, for there were two more ponies to rescue.

* * *

Listening to 'Never Meant to Belong' from the Bleach Soundtrack while working on this. Pretty heartbreaking… I love the soundtrack from Bleach. Really does get to me every time. Never fails.

However, that being said… Miseria, I beg to differ. I really didn't find this traumatizing manipulation that entertaining. Bit annoying, actually. In fact, if I hadn't edited it and made it a tiny bit more dramatic, it would've been pretty boring!

It actually took me awhile to find something that was psychologically horrible for Rarity to go through that were not little whims, like, getting dirty, or a pauper's life, or whatever, and didn't really have to do with losing friends or things like that. I also wanted to keep relating the psychological break-down to their element, but didn't want Miseria to turn Rarity's generosity into selfishness. So I was like, 'what do I do...?' And I got the idea of Miseria getting to Rarity through her fashion career, which-according to Miseria-Rarity destroyed with her generosity to 'others except herself'.

I like that she takes such heavy measures against the ponies, leaving them in the brink of insanity. She doesn't care to turn them into her side, she doesn't even need that with the skills she's got. They'd just be a burden to them! Because if they're turned evil against their will, there's always the risk that they will be returned to normal. Freaking genius, right?

Well, first Applejack, then Fluttershy, then Pinkie Pie, and now Rarity. Miseria's keeping them away from Discord on purpose, messing up with plenty of things in the labyrinth so he won't get to them on time. And she is enjoying the idea of degrading her brother, the Master of Chaos, to the 'reformed ponysitting clown' that he chose to become.

On to Rainbow Dash! That one will be pretty exciting. I'm really sorry this took a while, lately I've practically been falling asleep on my desk, for some reason. I'm glad it was done a few days before one of my friends returned.

She's one of the most faithful readers of this story, she's even made art of it now! She loves it and always gives me comments and does show her support. I'm glad I'll be able to surprise her with at least one new chapter.


	26. Revelations in the Labyrinth VI

**Revelations in the Labyrinth- How Traitors Soar**

Miseria laughed once she encountered the blue pegasus that ran around the labyrinth at top speed. She had already been entertaining herself by making Rainbow Dash's life impossible with plenty of her creations. Tormenting her and ruining her progress had proved to be quite entertaining in the last few minutes.

Rainbow Dash struggled to get out of a massive ball of sticky gum that Miseria had summoned on top of her. "Just... you wait..." She grunted a bit more and managed to finally pull herself out. "You're not gonna bring me down so easily, you better know that!"

Miseria rolled her eyes. "I hate it when they all say that. I mean, it's so stupid and useless…"

"Don't get so full of yourself! It's far from over! Just 'cause I can't fly doesn't mean I can't kick your ugly flank! I'll really make you pay for all you've done!"

"Ohhh… You always have to be so violent, don't you? That gets old and boring! Do carry on."

Rainbow Dash gave her another glare, then cautiously turned aside. "Hmph. Wrong. I'm not gonna be violent and waste my time here. I'm just not gonna trust you!"

Miseria blinked when she saw Rainbow Dash sprint off in a run again. "What…?"

"I'm sick of this labyrinth stuff! Just you wait-I'll help the others beat you down to a pulp!" Rainbow Dash ran as quickly as she could while searching for the next available way out through the hedge walls.

Miseria blinked and appeared floating next to the pegasus while she ran. "My, you really do have some spunk. Or… Maybe I should call you a coward instead. I mean, honestly, who runs away from a confrontation like you just did? Heh, only somepony who's scared off their flanks, that's right."

"What?!" Rainbow Dash dug her hooves into the ground to stop. She quickly turned around to confront the floating mismatched creature. "Hey, wait a minute, who're you calling a coward?! Like you're one to talk!"

Miseria smirked with satisfaction once she got the result that she wanted. _Got her right where I wanted._ "Heh. Oh, Loyalty pony thing, you're just _too_ predictable. So predictable, in fact, that I already know the outcome of our little game." She rubbed her hooves together and grinned smugly over her shoulder.

"What game?! If you think I'll be crazy enough to do anything with you, you really are wrong, you know! Crazier than Discord! Now leave me alone, Miseria. You're just delaying the inevitable. Your stalling won't do anything when we finally beat you like you deserve."

"You sure have a big mouth. Like to talk big game, huh?"

Rainbow Dash growled a bit while her wings threatened to flutter. _If it wasn't for that spell… I'd show her what happens when arrogant, loser idiots like her mess with me and my friends!_She puffed out an irritated breath and started to walk again.

Miseria sat on the air and tapped her hoof patiently. She was completely unfazed by Rainbow Dash's anger. "Alright, then. If you're so impatient, how about we get right to business? You deserve it."

Rainbow Dash looked down with surprise once the two of them appeared high above the ground. They were even above the levels of Cloudsdale, actually higher than she had ever flown before. "What the…?!"

Miseria leaned closer to her. None of them were using their wings to hold themselves in the air. "I mean this game. Heh, It's going to be a good one, I promise."

She raised her hooves and made Rainbow Dash's five friends appeared, trapped in cages that hovered around them. As soon as they appeared, the five ponies began to scream in fear and anger.

Rainbow Dash blinked and looked at them with confusion and concern etched clearly on her face. "Guys? But, I don't get it… When did she get all of you? When did we even leave the labyrinth? What are you all…"

She trailed off and opened her eyes wide with fear once she realized what Miseria was about to do to them. "W-wait a minute…" She slowly turned around to face Miseria and her calm expression. "Hold… Hold on, Miseria… Don't! Don't you dare!"

Rainbow Dash could feel her blood running cold, but willed herself to remain fiery and firm against Miseria nonetheless. If she did anything to hurt her friends… She had to be sure that she would have the power of all the Sonic Rainbooms to make Miseria pay highly for all five of her best friends.

Miseria held a hoof to her mouth to stifle a giggle, then floated closer to the cages, ignoring the screams and pleas. "Loyal Rainbow Dash. You never let your friends down, right? You'll have such a hard time choosing between them… You know, I wonder who will be granted the honor of being saved by the awesome, future Wonderbolt Captain…"

Rarity screamed when her cage moved. She looked at Rainbow with desperation. "Rainbow Dash, help us!"

Fluttershy whimpered and covered her eyes with her hooves while she cowered on the floor of the cage.

Rainbow Dash panted a bit and looked between her friends. "No…"

Applejack tried to remain calm, but her fear was evident when she tried to stay as still as possible so the cage would not wobble. "Get us outta here, Rainbow! You can do it!"

"B-but… I…"

Pinkie Pie glared at Miseria. "This isn't fun! Get us back on the ground, somepony's gonna get hurt!" She growled a little when Miseria only laughed at her request.

"G-guys, stop it! Don't move, alright? We… We can think of something! Miseria, don't you move a hoof!" Rainbow Dash glared at Miseria, then tried to move to one of the closest cages. She gasped and immediately flew back when the others seemed like they were about to fall.

"You're taking things way too far, Miseria. Don't make her do this!" Twilight grunted when she saw that her magic spells were canceled by the cage. She looked up at Rainbow Dash. "Please don't worry, Rainbow Dash. We'll get through this, like you said. We always do. We'll think of something together."

Rainbow Dash smiled a little, but then gasped when Miseria laughed and nearly dropped the cages again.

"Are you going to chat and stare at your friends all day, Rainbow Dash? Or are you going to choose?"

"You're not serious. I… You can't ask me to do that! I can't!" Rainbow Dash shook her head and flew closer to Miseria. Though she seemed a bit submissive, she still had a glare in her eyes. "...I'll do anything else. But… Just don't mess with my friends! Don't make me choose between them!"

"Uh-oh. This isn't good. Your time is running out."

"Listen to me! I'll do anything else! Anything! I give you my word! Let them go!"

Miseria gave her a serious look while she shook her head. "This is non-negotiable." She appeared next to Rainbow Dash and grinned. "You must have known that at some point in the life of your _adorable, wittle fwiendship_ you would have to choose one of them to truly be by your side forever. So who will it be?"

"I can't… I can't…" Rainbow Dash shook her head and whispered under her breath. Her eyes were filling with tears. "I… I can't…!"

Twilight screamed and hit the door of her cage with her hooves. "Don't do this to her! It's completely unfair and low, even for you! Even the worst of Discord during his first return was not as bad as you!"

"Why, thank you! That's such a sweet compliment…" She raised her hoof and also levitated some of the cage. "Would you like me to help you choose, Rainbow? I'm very good when it comes to opinions..."

Rainbow Dash gasped and whimpered, shivering a bit while she tried to speak. "Don't… Don't do it…"

Miseria patted Rarity's cage. "Well… Now that I think about it, Rarity had her turn, didn't she? Back when you saved her from falling to her doom. It was also the time when you performed another Sonic Rainboom. Yes! I remember now! It was great! But it was also a wasted chance! So there you have it."

Rarity gasped and shook her head when her cage began to vanish from around her. "Please…"

Miseria waved her hoof. "_Au revoir_, Generosity thing!" She smiled and looked down while Rarity fell.

Rainbow Dash screamed with horror and tried to move. "No! Don't do this!"

Miseria giggled and held Rainbow Dash in place with her magic. "Now, now. No cheating! You can't go after that fallen friend yet! It's not over, you know." She looked over at the four remaining ponies.

"Just… Just leave them alone! Leave them alone, let me go save Rarity!"

"Let's see, who's next? Ooh, this sure is thrilling. Did you ever save somepony else before? Oh, right… You did! Too bad for them. You saved all your friends back when that phony Lightning Dust made them fall from their balloon. A memorable time, quite heroic."

She levitated the cages closer to her while the other four mares tried to talk to her and Rainbow Dash. "Tough luck for you all, Elements. If only she hadn't saved you that time… Oh, well!_Bon voyage!_"

The four mares screamed once they were released to fall to the ground that awaited them a long distance down. They were falling so fast that they barely had a chance to move in the air.

Miseria blinked, then smirked once a rainbow-colored blur zoomed right past her. It messed up her mane and made her tail spark, but she grinned nonetheless while she returned to normal. "Heh, heh… Go, Rainbow Dash. You never let your friends down, do you? Well, we'll just see how true that is."

_I can't fail them. I can't let them down, they're all my friends! But…_ Rainbow Dash shut her eyes closed, spilling a few tears. _I can't choose just __**one**__!_ She concentrated as hard as she could on increasing her speed. She grunted when her wings suddenly grew heavier and slowed her down.

"What?! Hey, what's going…" She looked back at her wings with horror. They even seemed to be moving slower. "No. No, please! Don't slow down! Not now! I have to save them!"

Miseria appeared beside Rainbow Dash, falling beside her. She remained calm as she fell upside-down, without moving her wings or making magic appear from her horn. Her mane was blown by the wind and occasionally got on her face.

She glanced aside at the pegasus' wings and noticed that they were growing weaker, even falling apart. "How sad… You're about to reach your limit, aren't you? So pathetic…"

"NO! I have to go on-no! Don't do this to me! I have to save them, stop!" Rainbow Dash tried to move her wings faster and ignored Miseria to keep pulling forward, trying to reach her friends. The fall seemed endless, and the pain came faster.

Miseria spoke solemnly while she watched Rainbow Dash's relentless efforts to move her burdensome, failing wings. "Such unreliable appendages, aren't they? Wings. You've never been truly free. This is what has been your fate from the very beginning. This is the fate of traitors that think they are so great to truly deserve the admiration and arrogance that they boast of."

Rainbow whimpered and gritted her teeth to heave her wings again. "Shut up…"

In the end, no matter how fast you are, Rainbow Dash…"

"Shut up…!"

"You can't save them all."

"SHUT UP!" Rainbow opened her eyes wider and pushed on. She didn't even wince when her wings cracked and shed more feathers. "I _can_ save them! I've never let them down! I just… I have to…!"

Miseria shook her head. "Only one of them can be your best friend forever. Try harder than that, and all six of you will fall to your deaths. You only have strength to save one. Who will it be? Who will you save? Who will earn your undivided attention? Don't feel bad, really. Everypony has to make a tough choice sometime."

Rainbow Dash held in a sob and shuddered a bit while she looked aside at Miseria.

"Don't worry! I'm sure the other four will forgive you in the afterlife. They're your friends, after all. Just not your _best_ friends. They will definitely understand that they were never cool or good enough for a top-caliber pegasus celebrity like you. Never in their dreams could they be best-friend material."

"Th-that's not how I… Wait! Please help me! I told you I'd do anything!"

"So _do_ something, Rainbow Dash. I took you up on your offer. And what I will have you do is save them." Miseria smirked and looked down at the ponies. "You insisted, so I refrained from killing them instantly. To give you the chance, you know. Your best friend is falling down there, somewhere. Get her."

Rainbow Dash cried out in pain while Miseria's eyes glowed.

~~~

Miseria laughed out loud while she watched Rainbow Dash crashed several times against the barrier of the labyrinth. To her delight, the pegasus was inflicting serious damage and pain upon herself without even noticing! To make it more interesting, she had also altered Rainbow Dash's perception of up and down when she subjected her to the illusion."

"Ahh, excellent, excellent! This is going very well. It's brilliant! You all make such nice pieces. Now… The grand finale to pass the next turn of events… It's all coming together!" She looked up with a pleased smile and watched as the moon suddenly rose for the second time.

"See…? It's all going along perfectly…" She held the necklace of the Element of Loyalty in her hoof, then vanished while Rainbow Dash continued to torture herself, letting out awful screams.

~~~

She sobbed while she kept falling, though she realized that her speed was deteriorating and her flight was losing precision. The pain was almost too much to describe and bear. It came from everywhere.

It seemed like miles separated her from her friends, stretching longer and longer till forever. But she always did believe that she could reach them if she pushed harder, just another second more…

The ground below them came closer into view, letting her know that time was running out despite her greatest efforts. She kept berating herself and willing herself to go on like a litany.

"Please… Anything but this… You better… You better save them, Rainbow Dash… Or… Dammit, I'll never forgive myself! Please wait! I'll save you! I… I _have_ to save you! Wait!"

The pain nearly broke her and threatened to end her before she could get to her friends. _It doesn't matter what happens to me, but I better last long enough to save every last one of them..._

She just wanted everything to end so it could all fade away. However, every time she was almost overwhelmed by exhaustion, she realized that her friends slipped farther away from her. Time was getting closer and she had not made any progress, at the contrary. Her wings were nearly broken.

"NO!" She screamed and sobbed uncontrollably when some force suddenly made her stop in her tracks. To her horror, the others did not stop, but fell faster. "NO! LET ME GO!"

A heavy, numb sensation fell over her. It filled her body with exhaustion instead of burning pain. It tried to make her forget about the tragedy that was happening before her.

It had to be Miseria's spell, trying to keep her from saving her friends. Her cruelty knew no ends yet.

"You won't win! You won't win-you hear me?! I'm going to SAVE THEM!" While Rainbow Dash struggled, a blurred shape began to appear before her, and it slowly got clearer. She could also hear a strange, distant voice, but none of that mattered. She had to fight the spell for her friends' sake.

~~~

Discord grunted with great effort while he tried to hold the blue, rainbow-maned pegasus in his arms. It proved to be much harder than he had initially thought, for she kept struggling like a wild mustang while in her rave. "Hey-Rainbow Dash, stop it! Get a grip! You're…"

She had no idea that she inflicted great pain upon herself every time she tried to illogically crash against the barrier. She continued to scream and try to buck him off her.

_She's got to be by far the toughest to get under my spell… She just won't stay still! Why couldn't she break down and be still…?_ "Rainbow Dash!" Though he screamed and shook her, Discord knew that his voice would do nothing to help her from that state, especially not agitated and hysterical as she was.

"Don't do this to me, please! Stop it! I can't stop, I can't let them die! No! Let me go, Miseria!" She kept screaming and flailing, her wings beating harder while she inched closer to the barrier again.

Discord gritted his teeth and use more strength to pull her back. "I… am not… Miseria-stay still!" He wrapped her tail around his eagle claw and yanked her down on the ground. Before she could get back up, he touched her forehead with a finger of his lion paw.

He made his paw glow while he concentrated in his spell. _I'd best use some hypnosis… That will break through the madness illusion better than sleep._ He looked at Rainbow Dash while her eyes glowed.

"What… Dis… D-Discord… Y-you've got to… Got to… help me… The… The others…" While she whispered, Rainbow Dash's wings twitched, and the rings around her eyes slowed down a bit.

"No, no, no. Easy. If you keep going with this you'll hurt yourself badly! Snap out of it, Rainbow Dash!" Discord pulled his paw back once he saw that her mind began to clear a bit and struggle with the confusion of the illusion and reality.

"Discord… What's going… What's going on…? Where's…"

Discord grabbed her and secured her along with the other four. Just to be safe, he also held her wings together. "Listen, all of us are going to be just fine. We're getting the hang of it and pulling ourselves together. However, if you're to survive, girls, you need to be alive and undamaged. So just go to sleep. Let the spell slip you away, just for a little bit. I promise it won't do anything else."

He waited until Rainbow Dash drifted off and started snoring. Then he sighed and floated away from the site. "I have to admit, you did put up quite a fight this time…"

He narrowed his eyes and looked ahead while he saw flashes of light, and several creatures created from Miseria's magic, in the distance. "I'll just make sure all that fighting is not for nothing. Believe me… You'll soar again, Rainbow Dash. You'll fly high, and use that brash attitude of yours to stand up for your friends."

"Pinkie Pie will laugh despite the odds. Applejack will encourage everypony with honesty. Rarity will give to her friends the best that she can offer in effort and skill…"

"...And Fluttershy will be there to comfort the fallen, like she always does. We'll find Twilight, who will round you up and get you into your cheesy formation. You'll be annoyingly strong and determined, the six of you. Because that's just the way you are, and always will be."

He climbed over a few thick trees that tried to block his way, and glared at a tall hedge, then made it disappear. "You're the Elements of Harmony. My opposites at one point… Banishers of all that is considered evil. They banished what were then my evil intentions. I held them dear, though. I truly believed that all would be better if I succeeded. My dreams were broken by your power. It hurt quite a bit. But in the end, it was evil, and by you evil was banished. It is the least you can do now."

He sat on the tree and stared off in the distance, waiting until he sensed Miseria's presence completely. "But that was not the limit of the Elements' ability. Hundreds of years later, they also gave me a chance, along with Celestia. Their power agreed to release me once more, so that I could learn what I did not have the chance to truly appreciate in my youth. If with all that power, the Elements cannot hold themselves together to once again perform their duty…"

A quiet snarl left his throat once he heard Miseria's laughter far off in the labyrinth. "...Then neither of us are meant to exist, for we are of the same power, opposite forces. Balancing one another, but in the end, unable to withstand a challenge. In the end, we would have been a waste of power and a disappointment. So, neither of us will fail now…"

His wings opened, and so Discord started to fly off towards the opposite direction of the laughter. "We know better than that. Now, let's get back to business and get Twilight."

* * *

Phew! Boy, this sure was intense! I also edited plenty of it, and added a lot that made it quite intense and good, in my opinion. I love how everything gets better once I go back and edit it…

I thought _this_ would be the most difficult scene to introduce. Rainbow Dash and her emotional breakdown due to Miseria. The Wonderbolts, her wings, her friends… In the end I used them all, huh? Kind of a cliche, because they all have turned out to be about friends. I was indeed tempted to involve Scootaloo in this… The poor kid would've been quite effective too. But… Well, having to choose _her_ as well among her friends would definitely have driven her insane beyond repair, right? I mean, she's like a little sister to RD now. I'd dare admit that even Miseria doesn't go to such… soulless lengths.

Surprisingly, though, it was the easiest to produce, and I'd say it's even more entertaining than Rarity's. I really have liked them all a lot, though. They all have a different feeling, despite being the same sad theme, and involving the friendships in some way as the tragic loss.

Though, you know what? I forgot to add this in the last chapter, but one thing I liked about Rarity's chapter was that… Unlike the others, the reason why Rarity 'failed' in her life was not because _she_ failed her friends, and thus everything went downhill from there, but because her _friends_ failed her. Reminds me a lot of the episode 'Suited For Success', though I swear I just made the connection now.

Now there's only one heroine left… I wonder what Twilight's illusion will be about. Ooh… Coming up with hers is going to be quite a painful doozy. Okay, Creativity, get to work!

I already have quite an idea in mind, but I'm still open to suggestions, of course. Every bit of feedback helps, always.

By the way, I like how Discord came out at the end of the chapter, but I'm not sure if such a concentrated role of hero would actually fit him… Besides, it's too serious… Can you guys see the Discord that we know and love from the show acting like this at some point? Though there's also some things to consider… It's been sometime since he was reformed, and so he's learned quite a bit from being in a different position other than the villain… Yay, he's reflected and truly changed his views!


End file.
